What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity or biological diversity is "the variability among living organisms from all sources [...]; includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems" (Convention on Biological Diversity). Biodiversity is distributed heterogeneously on Earth, with areas of high diversity (so-called "hot spots" such as tropical forests and coral reefs), others with little diversity (such as deserts and polar regions) and still others with some diversity. Of the 25 "hot spots" in the world, only two are partially in Europe: the Mediterranean basin and the Caucasus.
Threats to survival Biodiversity has increased since the origin of terrestrial life, albeit discontinuous, reaching its peak before the appearance of humanity and has been declining since then. The problem of loss of biodiversity has assumed, especially in recent decades, an unheard-stricken, as the Report points on Biological Diversity, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1995.
The current rate of extinction is approximately 100-1000 times the natural rate. About 99.9% of terrestrial species are extinct and survival of many endangered, like the Panda in China, the gorillas in Africa (Gabon and Congo have about 80% of world population of gorillas), the Iberian lynx and the wolf Portugal (it is estimated that no more than 50 Iberian lynx in Portugal). About 8.5% of globally threatened vertebrate species occur in Europe and Central Asia. Many human activities have contributed to the loss of biodiversity (in our time scale), especially the resulting habitat destruction (urbanization and the construction of infrastructure), its pollution and overfishing (particularly by industrial activities by intensive agriculture and forestry Soil and water fisheries stocks worldwide). The local species richness can vary greatly, depending on the physical conditions (like climate) and spatial as well as the intensity of land use, as shown in Figure 1.
Biodiversity or biological diversity is "the variability among living organisms from all sources [...]; includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems" (Convention on Biological Diversity). Biodiversity is distributed heterogeneously on Earth, with areas of high diversity (so-called "hot spots" such as tropical forests and coral reefs), others with little diversity (such as deserts and polar regions) and still others with some diversity. Of the 25 "hot spots" in the world, only two are partially in Europe: the Mediterranean basin and the Caucasus.
Threats to survival Biodiversity has increased since the origin of terrestrial life, albeit discontinuous, reaching its peak before the appearance of humanity and has been declining since then. The problem of loss of biodiversity has assumed, especially in recent decades, an unheard-stricken, as the Report points on Biological Diversity, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1995.
The current rate of extinction is approximately 100-1000 times the natural rate. About 99.9% of terrestrial species are extinct and survival of many endangered, like the Panda in China, the gorillas in Africa (Gabon and Congo have about 80% of world population of gorillas), the Iberian lynx and the wolf Portugal (it is estimated that no more than 50 Iberian lynx in Portugal). About 8.5% of globally threatened vertebrate species occur in Europe and Central Asia. Many human activities have contributed to the loss of biodiversity (in our time scale), especially the resulting habitat destruction (urbanization and the construction of infrastructure), its pollution and overfishing (particularly by industrial activities by intensive agriculture and forestry Soil and water fisheries stocks worldwide). The local species richness can vary greatly, depending on the physical conditions (like climate) and spatial as well as the intensity of land use, as shown in Figure 1.
Water Planet Guilherme Arantes Lyrics Guilherme Arantes
Water source which originates in Serena's world And that opens a Deep Grotão Water that is innocent And stream flows In the current of the river ... Dark waters of the rivers That lead The fertility of the hinterland Waters bordering villages And kill the headquarters of the population ... Water falling from the rocks In the veil of the Cascades Rumble of thunder And then quiet sleep In the bed of lakes In the beds of lakes ... Water from streams Where Iara, the mother of water It's mysterious song Water the sun evaporates The sky is gone Turn cotton clouds ... Drops of rainwater Gay rainbow About Plantation Drops of rainwater So sad, tears are In flood ... Windmills that move water Are the same waters That soak the ground And they always come back humble Pro depths of the earth Pro depths of the earth ... Earth! Water Planet Earth! Water Planet Earth! Planet Water ... Water source which originates in Serena's world And that opens a Deep Grotão Water that is innocent And stream flows In the current of the river ... Dark waters of the rivers That lead to fertility to the hinterland Waters bordering villages And kill the headquarters of the population ... Windmills that move water Are the same waters That soak the ground And they always come back humble Pro depths of the earth Pro depths of the earth ... Earth! Water Planet Earth! Water Planet Earth! Water Planet ... (2x)
