Introduction
The variety of living organisms, in all its forms and interactions, represents biodiversity, which is a complex but the most vital feature of the planet. The term “biological diversity” was initially coined in 1985, but the significant losses in biodiversity are now becoming apparent and represent a crisis equaling climate change. Biodiversity is comprised of several levels that start from individual species, communities of creatures, and entire ecosystems, ranging from forests to coral reefs, where living beings interact with the physical environment. The unique interactions between the organisms have made the planet habitable for billions of years.
Biodiversity loss represents a significant challenge for modern ecology and refers to the decrease of interactions between species and ecosystems within a given geographical area or Earth as a whole. This means that there is a decline in the number, the variety of species, and their genetic variability, which have multiple consequences. The Amazon is of particular concern in terms of biodiversity as the region is currently experiencing significant biological issues. Such problems as deforestation, commercial fishing, biological piracy and smuggling, mining, and logging all contribute to the decreased biodiversity and cause the overall decline in environmental quality (Mathewson, 2015). Thus, the purpose of the current exploration is to discuss the specific issues caused by biodiversity loss in the Amazon and find solutions targeted at their addressing.
Problems Caused by Biodiversity Loss
The loss of biodiversity has many consequences for the ecosystem of the Amazon. One of the most challenging issues is the economic cost of losing biodiversity in the region. The growth of the human population and the expansion of global economies have contributed to the significant loss of biodiversity despite the initial belief that the increase of resources can halt the adverse consequences of the decreased quality of ecosystems (Rodriguez-Labajos & Martinez-Alier, 2013). The need for increased investment into essential ecosystem services such as pollination, soil reclamation, irrigation, and many others limits the economic capabilities of the countries covered by the Amazon rainforest. The value of global biodiversity has been estimated in the trillions of dollars, and the increased loss of diversity in the region also costs countries trillions.
For businesses and consumers, the expense for addressing the challenges of poor ecosystems. According to the findings of the report funded by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) (2018) initiative, corporations spend money on addressing biodiversity loss, with the costs of covering the damages from the inability of insects to pollinate the land estimated at $189 billion a year. Deforestation costs are estimated at $2-5 trillion per year. As the majority of illegal deforestation (between 50% and 90%) occurs in the Amazon Basin, the costs of addressing the challenge in the region are, therefore, astronomical (Amadeo, 2019). Another important issue to consider in terms of the economic impact of biodiversity loss is concerned with the ignorance of the third-party effects of private exchanges, which lead to severe economic costs.
Studies that explored the plants, ants, birds, bees, and beetles that inhabit the Brazilian Amazon have found clear evidence pointing at the loss of diversity being caused by deforestation. The remaining areas of the Amazon rainforest now represent the last refuge for many species that have been unable to withstand the adverse effect of human activity. According to the report presented by Lancaster University (2015), the forests of the region have been cleared by cattle ranching and agriculture, with animal life being impoverished and species declining in their variety. One of the most critical problems caused by biodiversity loss is, therefore concerned with the well-being of animals – their decreased general health and well-being. Since many tourists visit the region to see animals up close, the disturbance of wildlife is one of the key contributors to biodiversity loss.
In addition to the ‘meddling’ of people into the ecosystems that preserve the livelihood of animals in the Amazon, changes in climate, associated with biodiversity challenges, make the lives of animals easier. As mentioned in The New York Times report by Hillary Rosner (2006), the increased volume of rains in the Amazon harms the species living in the area. Wildlife ecologists that visited the area found dead monkeys, with many more living creatures in agony without food and shelter. Many more animals, including sloths, deer, and toucans, were also in poor condition due to their inability to find food and shelter because of excessive rainfalls. Continuous changes in climate make it harder for unprotected animals to navigate their lives in harsh conditions, especially when there is a lack of food. Weather conditions are especially important because they affect the availability of fruit, grass, and other small animals for which others prey. If it is continuously raining, as it was in 2006, the likelihood of animals starving and dying is high because they are unable to forage for food while also being subjected to the outbreaks of diseases.
Food security challenges represent the third significant complication associated with biodiversity loss. This issue is important to discuss because converting the natural resources of the rainforest of the Amazon is not a comfortable livelihood. The fact that the territory falls victim to unsustainable land management practices threatens not only the forest itself but also its ability to provide resources to sustain the livelihood of future generations. The increased deforestation and climate change affect the food supply in the region while the reduction of precipitation in the recent decade potentially lead to shortages in the supply of water and thus the potential of forest fires (Watts, 2019). Food security is important to consider in the context of the Amazon rainforest because South American countries lack financial resources to deal with the problem. While such countries as the United States could find ways to feed the population in the scenario of decreased biodiversity, more impoverished regions may not be as capable of dealing with the challenge. To add to the problem, global food production is expected to decrease as a result of drought and other climate-associated consequences.
Addressing the Problems
As one of the first steps to solving the problems of diversity loss in the Amazon, it is advised to put an economic value on biodiversity. Using the findings of the TEEB, which is funded by the United Nations and various governments can be beneficial for estimating the benefits of reduced climate change. Understanding the amount of financial resources governments and corporations have to spend on preserving the biologic diversity of the Amazon rainforest is expected to decrease the number of harmful practices leading to deforestation and harm caused to animals (Ortiz, Nowak, & Parker, 2013) The investment into protecting the areas that are endangered is the most significant return on investment for the future. Monitoring the resources that are becoming scarcer is a critical aspect of ensuring the financial security of preserving the biodiversity of the Amazon. By identifying the areas that require the most attention, governments, and global organizations that work on environmental preservation will be able to address the challenges that should be resolved urgently.
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru share the territory of the Amazon basin and are therefore affected by poor food security. It is imperative to review the effect of land utilization and climate change on ecosystem services as well as study the connections between the latter and threats to food security. Thus, connecting knowledge on the natural resources’ use, the change of land utilization, as well as the maintenance of human health is expected to help address the issue of food security. For example, Roche, Creed-Kanashiro, Tuesta, and Kuhnlein (2011) promoted the popularization of Peru’s traditional foods to strengthen food security in the region.
Strengthening food security can also be achieved with the help of ecological intensification for the purpose of conciliating forest preservation and food supply in the Amazon (Cialdella et al., 2015). When enough territories are available, and when policies are targeted at promoting the sustainable use of already-cleared areas, the expected outcomes include a decline in deforestation and increased agricultural production in non-endangered areas, thus leading to increased food security. Policy development is also needed to enable food sustainability, such as the halt of beef and soybean production in the region because of the adverse effects on cattle and its grazing. Besides, all policies for sustainable development of food security in the Amazon should also benefit its native inhabitants in such a way that will increase their overall average income. This means that companies and governments have to think about the involvement of indigenous populations into the production of food and encourage investment into the improved well-being of people.
Preserving the well-being and ecological integrity of animals is a prerogative in terms of addressing the adverse outcomes of biodiversity loss. Community action and policy change are both necessary to ensure that endangered animals of the Amazon possess enough resources for a prosperous life. This action can range from charity work to involving local authorities and companies to invest in efforts to preserve the wildlife of the region. In addition, it is also important to consider the issue of consumerism and food choices that the population makes. The clearing of the trees for cattle ranching and producing such crops as soy is harmful to wild animals because they are at a higher risk of suffering from fires during dry seasons. Consumer consciousness is the key to helping animals maintain their natural ecosystems in the Amazon.
Conclusion
In summary, it should be mentioned that the Amazon region represents a significant challenge for the global ecosystem. The consequences of human devastation, coupled with climate change, are rapidly making the area uninhabitable for wildlife, which ruins their unique diversity and interactions. Firm actions on the part of both South American and global community are needed to address the problem and include policy changes associated with land use, conscious consumption, as well as financial support for improving the living conditions in the area. Time is of the essence in this case, which is why any delays can lead to catastrophic consequences not only for the Amazon but for the global ecosystem as a whole.
References
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Cialdella, N., de Carvalho, S., Vaz, V., Barbosa, T., Thales, M., Mourão, M., … Tourrand, J. (2015). Do political changes aimed at reducing Amazonian deforestation contribute to ecological intensification? Cahiers Agricultures, 24(4), 246-254.
Lancaster University. (2015). Evidence of species loss in Amazon caused by deforestation. Web.
Mathewson, S. (2015). Biodiversity in the Amazon is threatened by deforestation.Nature World News. Web.
Ortiz, R., Nowak, A., & Parker, L. (2013). Food security in Amazonia. A report for the Amazonia Security Agenda Project. Web.
Roche, M., Creed-Kanashiro, H., Tuesta, I., & Kuhnlein, H. (2011) Infant and young child feeding in the Peruvian Amazon: The need to promote exclusive breastfeeding and nutrient-dense traditional complementary foods. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 7, 284-294.
Rodriguez-Labajos, B., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2013). The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Recent Instances for Debate. Conservation & Society, 11(4), 326-342.
Rosner, H. (2006). Rain forest gets too much rain, and animals pay the price.The New York Times. Web.
TEEB. (2018). TEEB for agriculture and food. Web.
Watts, J. (2019). Amazon fires ‘extraordinarily concerning’, warns UN biodiversity chief.The Guardian. Web.