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Biodiversity Article
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Why Marine Biodiversity May Be The Most Important Issue On Earth
from:Marine biodiversity is the variability of life in marine ecosystems. Marine ecosystems include oceans, salt marshes, estuaries, lagoons, coral reefs, shores, and some of the tropical ecosystems (like mangrove forests). They are part of a larger, world ecosystem, and are characterized by having a much greater salinity level than fresh waters.
Even though marine ecosystems are teeming with life, the species diversity is much lower than that of other ecosystems. Only about 230,000 species have been identified, and that number includes both plants and animals.
Much of marine biodiversity resides in ecosystems based around coral reefs and/or areas of underwater tectonic activity. They hold over a quarter of the world's marine species. One third of the coral species are currently threatened with extinction. This is a rise over the last decade from less than two percent. Unfortunately, coral reefs all over are dying due to many forms of damage, all originating from one source: human beings. Snorkeling, commercial fishing and overfishing, fuel leaks from both commercial and recreational boats all contribute to the damage or outright destruction of both the coral reefs and marine biodiversity in general. Climate change can also affect coral reefs, the rising temperatures making them reject the algal growths that help the process of photosynthesis. 1998, one of the warmest years, saw mass die-offs of coral reefs all over the world.
Given that life originated in the sea, it is not surprising that there are fourteen endemic animal phyla in the sea, as opposed to the one phylum endemic to land. The situation is much different for plants, however. Almost all algae type plants can appear in both marine and fresh water, with the higher classes of plants only growing on land. The diversity of life-history strategies in marine organisms has proven to be remarkable to the point where scientists are expecting that the total of genetic resources and physiological marine biodiversity will be much greater than that of land organisms.
Without marine biodiversity, humankind would suffer greatly since marine organisms are crucial to almost all biogeochemical processes of the biosphere. They also help provide a variety of products and services essential to man’s survival and well-being. Without marine biodiversity the production of food, ingredients for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, and even the composition of some parts of land would be either severely diminished or depleted altogether.
For all of the above reasons, as well as for the fascination and great beauty it provides, marine biodiversity is one of our greatest treasures and must be protected and shepherded accordingly.
Biodiversity Specific links
Biodiversity News
Losing Natural Biodiversity Could Cost Us the Earth - AllAfrica.com
 UN News Centre | Losing Natural Biodiversity Could Cost Us the Earth AllAfrica.com While biodiversity, or the lack of it, may not seem a huge problem in your life, the sad reality is that in fact it is. An international study, published last week in the journal, Nature, shows that losing biodiversity appears to affect ecosystems as ... 'Marine biodiversity needs more attention' Biodiversity: we must take action now IGNOU launches online course on biodiversity |
Step Up Efforts to Protect Biodiversity - Molewa - AllAfrica.com
 Times LIVE | Step Up Efforts to Protect Biodiversity - Molewa AllAfrica.com Pretoria — Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has called on all South Africans to step up efforts to protect biodiversity, which supports a massive proportion of the country's livelihood. "Our vast wealth of biodiversity - our ... SA wetlands under threat |
Seminars, discussions mark Biodiversity Day - The Hindu
 Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Information Service | Seminars, discussions mark Biodiversity Day The Hindu Awareness programmes and discussions on marine biodiversity marked the International Biodiversity Day celebrations in the city. Inaugurating the programme jointly organised by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad and IR Balachandran Memorial Trust at ... NEPA to Observe Biodiversity Day Today Malaysia plans to increase number of marine parks |
Brazilians Are Number One in the World in Biodiversity Awareness - Brazzil Magazine
Brazilians Are Number One in the World in Biodiversity Awareness Brazzil Magazine Brazilian consumers came out on top for their awareness and understanding of both biodiversity and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), according to the results of a survey in eight countries released last week in São Paulo. |
Students Return from Researching Biodiversity in Ecuador - High Point University (press release)
 High Point University (press release) | Students Return from Researching Biodiversity in Ecuador High Point University (press release) HIGH POINT, NC, May 23, 2012 - A group of High Point University students returned today from an international Maymester trip to Ecuador where they studied the biodiversity of plant, animal and bird species in the country throughout the month of May. |