EEB255H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ecological Footprint, Conservation Biology, Environmental Policy
28 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Biodiversity crisis something is happening, it affects us, & don"t know what to do: sixth mass extinction causes by human activities. 50% of biodiversity on earth will be gone by 2050. Losing populations (ecosystems) and the genetic diversity they have. Outlier groups are being impacted by humans and are being lost. Inbreeding reduces genetic variability and exposes deleterious recessive genes. Loss of biodiversity is non-reversible: humans depend on biodiversity. Standard of living/well being and human survival: we don"t know what to do because of knowledge gaps and denial (evolution of brain/biological programming in nervous system). We are comfortable because it is increasing our survival and fitness. Causes of mass extinction three pillars: human population growth. Figure 1. 1: between 2000 2050 differential is not as great as before. Rate of population increase is slowing down: consumption. We are consuming our reserves that are historic energy from the sun: ignorance. Most people are ecologically illiterate and unaware.
