Loss of Biodiversity

This podcast is about biodiversity in seas and oceans and on land. It explains what biodiversity is and how it is being threatened by pollution, climate change, and population growth. The loss of marine biodiversity is affecting the oceans and people by weakening the ecosystem, impacting food resources, and disrupting climate regulation. The transcript also provides solutions to help protect marine biodiversity, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions and avoiding the disposal of products that harm endangered species and pollute the oceans. Overall, the message is that if we all work together, we can make a difference in preserving marine biodiversity. --------- Hello, my name is Elitsa, I am 15 years old and I am a student at English Language School Gelmilyf. The topic that my classmates Elena, Jenny and I are going to talk about is fossil biodiversity in seas and oceans. First, we will introduce the topic to you. What is fossil biodiversity? Why are we concerned about it? Secondly, we will talk about the problem - how does it affect the environment, nature, people, animals, etc. We are going to give you examples from real life. Lastly, we will talk about solutions and examples of things that we can do to stop the problem. What is biodiversity? This term is used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It refers to every living thing, including plants, fungi, bacteria, animals and humans. While Earth's biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be discovered, many of them are being threatened with extinction due to human activities, putting Earth's magnificent biodiversity at risk. Pollution, climate change and population growth are all threats to biodiversity. These threats have caused an unprecedented rise in the rate of species extinction. Some scientists estimate that half of all species on Earth will be wiped out within the next century. Conservation efforts are necessary to preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species and their habitats. Why are we concerned about it and what are the main problems? The ocean is home to millions of species. The health of this ocean is strongly dependent upon this marine biodiversity. Life in the ocean is an essential component of climate regulation. Climate change due to the human activity has a direct impact on marine species. It alters their abundance, diversity and distribution. Their feeding, development and breeding as well as the relationships between species are affected. Rising temperatures lead to different behaviors and patterns according to species. Some adapt to temperature changes while others migrate toward the poles or new areas. Other species disappear as has been observed for certain corals and can rapidly bleach and die when there is symbiosis with the uncellular algae that they shelter and feed on is interrupted. Marine biodiversity loss hinders the ocean's ability to provide food for our growing population with an estimated 3 billion people dependent on fish as their primary source of dietary protein. How is the loss of marine biodiversity affecting the oceans and the people? The loss of marine biodiversity is weakening the ocean ecosystem and its ability to withstand disturbances, to adapt to climate change and to play its role as a global ecological and climate regulation. As I already said, the ocean is home to millions of species. The health of the ocean is strongly dependent upon this marine biodiversity. Fish is the primary source of animal protein for at least 1 billion people in the world. Apart from overfishing or pollution, climate change alone heavily affects the food resources of human populations in developing countries essentially. Oceans cover 21% of the planet and are home to important species and ecosystems that we rely on for livelihoods, climate regulations and more. But the oceans need our help. Saving the oceans can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task, but if everyone gets involved, we can make a big difference. Carbon dioxide is making our oceans more acidic. This is responsible for the loss of corals on a global scale. You can reduce carbon dioxide by following some simple measures. Ride a bike, walk or use public transport instead of driving. For example, in the Netherlands, most people use public transport and many of them ride bicycles. Turn off the lights when you leave the room. There are many products that harm endangered species and pollute. For example, avoid cosmetics that contain sharks' choline, gelder made from coral or sea turtle shells, souvenir shells from conch and other animals, and single-use plastics such as troughs and wearable bottles that can end up in our oceans. As the crowds on the beach grow, so does the amount of trash left behind. Don't let your day out contribute to the destruction of our oceans. Remember to leave nothing behind. Pick up and dispose of your trash. Marine biodiversity is the essential foundation for the structure and functioning of ocean ecosystems and for providing the full range of ecosystem services that benefit humans on local, regional and global scales. These benefits include many feasible as well as unseen functional services such as oxygen we breathe, the seafood we eat, the support of local livelihoods, the marine plants storing low carbon and protecting our beaches, the medical and biochemical compounds found in marine species, the coral reefs we explore when scuba diving, and the charismatic creatures inspiring our lives. All these benefits are provided by the diversity and interplay of ocean life, from tiny plankton and bacteria to 30 meters long whales and giant kelp. If we all unite around the idea of keeping the ocean clear and safe, we will be able to keep marine biodiversity alive, which our lives depend on. Thank you all for your attention. Listen to us again next time.