The Loss of Biodiversity
"The most serious threat to the continuation of all life on this planet is the loss of biological diversity: the varied living beings that inhabit
the globe."
"It is true that the problem of disappearing species represents not only a conservation crisis on a scale never faced before, but also one of the greatest environmental challenges we are ever likely to confront."
These quotes from Kennedy (1990, p. 17) illustrate the gravity of the ecological problem facing humankind - the loss of biodiversity. Although there has always been loss of species as part of the evolution of life, the rapidity with which it is currently occurring largely through anthropogenic influences, is the worrying factor.
Biodiversity at the Species Level - Flora
Botany is the science that deals with all forms of plant life, including mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants, and organisms formerly considered plants: algae, fungi, and lichens . Humans are heavily dependent on plants for oxygen, food, clothing, medicine, and shelter. Yet a surprisingly large percentage of the world's plant species remains unknown, their potential benefits to mankind hidden. Museum botanists are dedicated to documenting the origins and providing classifications of plant life in marine and terrestrial environments and to understanding how humans are affected by and have altered the plant world.
Web sites related toTropical Botany
Here are some cool flowers!
This is a regular flower shop The best Image Gallery that I've seen yet for flowers
Hey, is that a Dicot or Monocot
The Carnivorous Plant FAQ
Biodiversity at the Species level - Fauna
Threatened Fauna in Australia
Animals of the liking
WHAT IS WILDERNESS ?
Wilderness is a remote area essentially unaffected and unaltered by modern industrial civilisation and colonial society. Wilderness is the result of millions of years of evolution,and is large enough to maintain biological diversity and ecosystem processes. Wilderness can be tropical jungle, forested mountains, alpine plains, open **grass lands, arid woodlands, sand or gibber deserts or coral reefs. Wilderness is disappearing fast. Maintaining wilderness is our responsibility.
Wilderness is threatened world wide by the demands of an ever expanding human population. We are losing 30-40 hectares per minute around the world. Half of the worlds countries do not have any wilderness areas.
Wilderness has been compromised far enough. The time has come to draw the line and protect what is left.
WHY DO WE NEED WILDERNESS ?
"In wilderness is the preservation of the world" David Henry Thoreau
In wilderness we can see the world as it was before the changes wrought by our modern industrial society. Remaining wilderness can therefore be used as a yard stick by which to measure these changes.
Wilderness provides the opportunity for the variety of species that make it up, to live and evolve in a natural way. It is the store house of present and future genetic diversity on which we rely for foods and medicines, and a major source of clean air, water and soil upon which all species depend.
Wilderness is essential to the survival of indigenous peoples and their culture. Wilderness gives future generations choices and opportunities. Once it is gone it is gone forever.
"Wilderness is a living link between ourselves and all that has ever happened on the planet. It is an avenue to our origins. It gives us an anchor on the reasons for the creation of life, on all of unwritten history. And besides the enchantment, wilderness is the best place for adventure, self discovery and comradeship. Wilderness has values which no scientist can synthesize, and no economist can price" Bob Brown.
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Written by Brad Shaw, Fall 1995
