Jurgita: Hello and welcome to our podcast on Biodiversity Loss. I’m Jurgita, and today, I’m joined by Rugilė, Gabrielė, and Eduardas, and together, we’ll be discussing this critical issue.
Rugilė, What is Biodiversity Loss?
Rugile: Biodiversity loss is the decrease in the variety of species and ecosystems on Earth. It is caused by factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, overfishing, and introduction of invasive species.
Rugilė, can you describe the Impact of Biodiversity Loss on our environment?
Rugilė: Biodiversity loss has negative impacts on ecosystem functioning, human well-being, and the economy. It can lead to the extinction of species and the loss of important ecological services, such as pollination or water purification.
Thank you now let’s talk about water and biodiversity loss Gabriele.
Gabriele: There are two main factors here: Water purification and water pollution. Water purification is the process of restoring natural water qualities, making it safe and suitable for human consumption or other purposes. It can include removing undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids, and gases from water. By cleaning water natural microorganisms are also eliminated from water. This leads to the reduction of various life form in water. Polluted water has a significant impact on biodiversity loss as it harms aquatic species that rely on clean water for survival. When water is contaminated with chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants, it can cause severe damage to aquatic ecosystems, and many species may not survive.
I see your Gabriele. Now Eduardas, what is the impact of Agriculture on Biodiversity Loss:
Eduardas: Agriculture is one of the leading drivers of biodiversity loss, mainly through habitat destruction, overfishing, and pesticide use. Pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used in agriculture can pollute the soil, water, and air.
Eduardas: Sustainable agriculture practices, such as organic farming, can help to conserve biodiversity while also promoting food security. Sustainable practices encourage the growth of diverse plant and animal species, leading to improved soil quality and fertility.
Thank you. Finally, people might wonder what to do to Reduce Biodiversity Loss? Rugilė can you point us the right direction?
Rugilė: of course Efforts to mitigate biodiversity loss include conservation of habitats and species, sustainable use of natural resources, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It’s also crucial to minimize contamination, promote recycling, implement stricter pollution control measures, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, switch to renewable energy sources, and work towards more sustainable transport.
Jurgita: To sum everything up we can state that the solution to reducing biodiversity loss begins at home. We should raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the impacts of its loss. Let’s work together to conserve our planet’s biodiversity for the sake of our future generations. Thank you for listening to our podcast.
Natale: Welcome to “The effects of biodiversity loss”, where we explore the environment, ecosystems, and natural wonders that can be found on our planet. We’re the Italian students of the International group 9 working on the CIELO Erasmus project. In today’s episode, we’ll be discussing the impact of biodiversity loss on our planet.
Andrea: diversity loss is having a drastic effect on the world’s ecosystems. To better understand, let’s look at a few examples. In the Amazon rainforest, deforestation is leading to the loss of as many as 137 species each day. And it’s not just plant life that is affected. Each unique species plays a critical role in the functioning of an Eco-system, and the disappearance of any one species can have a ripple effect, impacting the health and stability of an entire region.
Gaia: In another example, a 2019 UN report estimated that 75 percent of Earth’s land-based species have been affected by human activity and the loss of biodiversity continues to increase. The biodiversity of the oceans has also been adversely affected and is quickly disappearing. Overfishing, pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification are all contributing to the decline of species, notably coral reefs and other marine life.
Natale: We’re now understanding that biodiversity loss is much more than just the disappearance of species. It can also mean the potential disruption of food chains, a reduction of clean water availability, and immense changes to the natural environment. As more species decline, more functions that ecosystems perform to maintain balance are hindered causing further damage to Earth’s environment and the species that inhabit it. In order to prevent further biodiversity loss, global governments and international organizations must take the lead. This involves implementing environmental regulations, promoting sustainable and responsible practices, and investing in projects that protect and restore our planet’s resources.
Andrea: Environmental education is also a critical factor, as it promotes understanding and appreciation of nature, increasing people’s awareness of the current conservation situation and inspiring change.
Gaia: Thanks for listening to “the effects of the biodiversity loss”. Be sure to stay tuned for more episodes where we discuss the environment, ecosystems, and natural wonders our planet has to offer.
Charlotte: Hello everybody! We’ve heard from Natalie, Gaia and Andrea on “The effects of biodiversity loss”. Now, you are listening to BIO BROADCAST – THE PODCAST, a podcast about the world’s greatest issues evolving around environmental threats.
Karen: Here with you are Karen, Charlotte, and Stephanie. In today’s episode, we are joined by the two famous explorers Diego and Hernan to talk about what is happening in Madagascar, an island of great importance because of its large biological diversity.
Stephanie: Madagascar has a tremendous amount of variety, including over 200,000 endemic species. However, it is one of the planet’s most endangered ecosystems. Over 80% of the forests have disappeared, with half of them occurring since the late 1950s.
Karen, Charlotte and Stephanie: Hi guys!
Diego: Hola, mucho gusto!
Hernan: Greetings to all of you who are listening to this podcast. It’s truly a great pleasure to be here and talk about something that’s so important and necessary for the development of awareness.
Charlotte: Hello again, thank you so much for joining us!
Stephanie: Yes, we are very excited to have you as our guests on today’s podcast.
Karen: Agree, but let’s jump right into questions because we have a lot and not so much time… So, when did you decide to begin your journey to Madagascar, and why?
Diego: So, the main reason that brought us to the fourth largest island in the world was an extremely concerning increase in its rate of forest loss, which had already peaked by the time we got there. We landed in Antananarivo at the beginning of 2008 when the loss of forest started to increase and stayed there for quite a while. We wanted to help preserve the forests, which represent the natural habitat for many species on the island, as much as we could. We believe that we should preserve every part of Madagascar’s biodiversity, because it is invaluable for us.
Karen: Wow guys, very inspiring!!!!!!!!!!
Charlotte: Yes yes very!
Stephanie: We found an article about the deforestation and habitat destruction in Madagascar that said that each year as much as a third of the country burns and 1% of its remaining forests are leveled. Is that true considering the media always manipulates information?
Hernan: The situation indeed is very alarming, and although some of the information is not quite factual, it is always positive to increase awareness and encourage more people to act environmentally friendly. Although the ecological decline in Madagascar has not been ignored since the nineteenth century, there is still room for improvement. I think we can still do more to save the forests here and appreciate the greatest gift mother nature gave us: nature itself.
Charlotte: Interesting! Have you noticed any more problems regarding biodiversity loss?
Karen: Yes, for example, like the introduction of invasive species and erosion?
Hernan: We actually did. Like you mentioned, the introduction of alien species has doomed many of Madagascar’s endemic species.
Diego: The best example of damage brought by introduced species can be found in the island’s rivers and lakes. Adaptable and aggressive tilapia, introduced as a food fish, have displaced the native cichlids. Moreover, the main concern should be how to slow this ecological decline and how best to use degraded land so that it can sustain productive activities today and for future generations.
Charlotte: Thank you guys so much for joining us and not only describing this problem but showing us real life examples of this grave issue. We wish you all the best in your future adventures, and we hope we will make an impact by addressing this.
Diego: No, thank you! It was a great pleasure to share our concerns and contribute to raising awareness among people. This podcast is truly a noble project, and you deserve much praise for running it.
Hernan: Muchas gracias!
Karen, Charlotte and Stephanie: Bye guys!!
Karen: That sounds like a great problem that needs to be heard by more people. Of course, we are trying our best to make people aware about not just problems on Madagascar, but in the whole world.
Charlotte: But we as individuals can not make a difference; the entire world population must participate in making changes.
Stephanie: Yes, that is absolutely true. You spoke well; go, girl! Even if we don’t notice it, biodiversity is crucial, and it helps us survive and maintain balance. Every species in their ecosystem is important, and their countless interactions have made Earth habitable for billions of years.
Karen: Yes, like you said, biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives by providing us with food, fresh water, breathable air, crop pollination, shelter, quality soil… For example, bacteria and other organisms break down organic material into nutrients, creating healthy soil in which plants can grow.
Stephanie: Also, pollinators guarantee the production of our food. Plants and the oceans act as important carbon sinks. Biodiversity loss results not only in the extinction of life on Earth, but also in the collapse of entire ecosystems.
Charlotte: Because humans depend on wildlife, plants, fisheries, and other ecosystem components for their survival, it is essential to minimize biodiversity loss for the survival of all types of ecosystems on Earth. So, as a society, we must work to solve this major problem before it becomes irreversible. So guys, get up and go make some changes!!
Karen: Yes, well said!
Stephanie: Well, anyway I think we are out of time. Thank you all for listening to us this week.
Charlotte: We hope you enjoyed listening to us. Next up, you will be hearing about the solutions and ways we can protect biodiversity. Have fun!
Karen: See you guys!
Karen, Stephanie and Charlotte: Peace out!
Alexandra: Hello, today we’ll talk about the solutions and the ways we can protect biodiversity. There are several solutions and ways to protect biodiversity, including:
Denisa: Conservation of natural habitats is one of the key solutions to protecting biodiversity. This can include protecting and preserving forests, wetlands, and coral reefs, which are all important ecosystems that provide habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. There are a variety of conservation strategies that can be used to protect natural habitats, such as setting aside land as protected areas, implementing sustainable land use practices, and working with local communities to support conservation efforts. Additionally, by protecting natural habitats, we also help preserve the valuable ecosystem services they provide such as carbon sequestration, water regulation, and pollination. Sustainable use of resources is another important solution to protecting biodiversity. This includes practices such as sustainable fishing, which ensures that fish populations are not over-exploited and are able to recover; responsible logging, which ensures that forests are not clear-cut and that logging is done in a way that minimizes damage to the ecosystem; and sustainable agriculture, which reduces the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and promotes conservation of biodiversity on farms.
Alesia: Invasive species management is an important solution to protecting biodiversity. Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or microorganisms that can outcompete native species and disrupt ecosystems. Invasive species can cause declines in native species populations and lead to the loss of biodiversity. Recosystems are another important solution to protecting biodiversity. Ecosystems can become degraded due to a variety of human activities such as urbanization, pollution, and climate change. Restoring degraded ecosystems can help to improve the health of these ecosystems and promote the recovery of native species.
Denisa: Protected areas are an important solution to protecting biodiversity. Protected areas are areas of land or water that are set aside for the protection and conservation of natural resources, including biodiversity. These can include National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar sites, and many other types of protected areas.
Alexandra: To sum up everything, the best ways to protect biodiversity are: conservation of natural habitats, using sustainable resources, restoring the damaged ecosystems and designing protected areas for different species.
Croatia: Lada Jurasović, Karla Glavinić, Paula Bušelić, Ivor Vrkić, Tibor Doležal
Romania: Alexandra Zagon, Alesia Elena Lăcătuș, Denisa Teodora Cristinoiu
Italy: Natale Giardino, Gaia Corigliano, Andrea Francesco Amoruso
Lithuania: Jurgita Zdanavičiūtė, Eduardas Nikontas, Rugilė Struoginytė, Gabrielė Ramonaitė
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