This article summarizes the arguments between opposing scientists, who are debating the greatest threat to rainforests. Some believe that climate change threatens biodiversity more, and some believe that habitat destruction is a greater threat. All agree that both are problems but which one is to be the priority is the main issue. Many species living in rainforests today could be effected greatly by a mere 3 degree up in temperature. However, without sufficient space for these species they will not be able to survive either.
I personally do not know which one is the greater threat to species or the biodiversity of the world, but I figure that habitat destruction is an easier fix than climate change. I understand that they are both related and with habitat destruction comes a difficulty for species to escape rising temperatures in there area. So if we can stop the fragmentation of these homes then most species will be able to seek new areas to live. Climate change is a world issue that will take decades to overcome. Deforestation is also occurring around the world but there are much fewer people involved in it. Big companies looking for timbre and space to develop are at the root of the problem. Therefore, we only need to convince these companies to stop deforesting rather than get the whole world to stop polluting and contributing to climate change. Like we have talked about in class, the biggest threat to biodiversity is habitat destruction but we do not exactly know what climate change is going to do to biodiversity, it is hard to study the effects. The benefits from biodiversity are great and it needs to be preserved. Which is more harmful and what needs to be the priority?
"What is the greatest threat to rainforests: habitat destruction or climate change?" Conservation news and environmental science news. Web. 06 Dec. 2009.
I like this article, because it states the threats to the rain forest. I think that if more people know what the threats are then we can come together more and try to stop the problems of the depleting rain forest.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we should focus on habitat destruction because it is the easier of the two to fix, but I don't think that we should pay any less attention to climate change just for that reason (not that that's what you were implying at all). And, I think that climate change is a much more publicezed issue than habitat destruction, so although habitat destruction is an easier problem to fix, the public is more aware of the problem of climate change, so that might give it a slight head-start in terms of public aid.
ReplyDeleteI agree that both problems are essential to keep the rain forest, but to have a rainforest to save we have to protect the habitat there first. So I do think that the habitat destruction needs more focus, but climate change can no longer be ignored. Both have to be reduced greatly if we want to keep the rainforest and all the benefits that it provides for the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI really like this article, Kate. It is often that environmentalists become sensationalized and focus only on the threat of climate change, when biodiversity loss is just as damaging.
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