How Does the Loss of a Species Affect Ecosystem Stability?

A species loss in one ecosystem can have a negative impact on the biodiversity of all ecosystems, notes the National Science Foundation. When species are lost, an ecosystem's stability is affected.

Significance

The Rainforest Conservation Fund explains that biodiversity is a factor that brings stability to an ecosystem. When an ecosystem maintains a diversity of species, it can help to reduce the impact of things like climate change and water pollution.

Features

An example of an ecosystem that is suffering from a loss of biodiversity is the ocean ecosystem. It is predicted that by 2050, all species of wild seafood that are currently being fished could be "collapsed," which is defined as 90 percent depleted. If these species, such as tuna, collapse, it would affect not only humans, but other ocean species that depend on tuna as a food source.

Prevention/Solution

The Rainforest Conservation Fund suggests several ways to stop the loss of biodiversity and the resulting impacts on ecosystem stability. Among them are restoring habitats such as logging areas and abandoned farms, and identifying so-called "biodiversity hotspots" where species are endangered in order to focus conservation efforts on those areas.

References

• Rainforest Conservation Fund: Consequences of Biodiversity Loss
• National Science Foundation: Accelerating Loss of Ocean Species Threatens Human Well-Being
• Rainforest Conservation Fund: How Can the Loss of Biodiversity be Halted?