A biodiversidade é importante?

Summary

The video script highlights Brazil's biodiversity crisis, with over 3,209 plant and 1,249 fauna species at risk of extinction, a majority identified in recent years. It discusses the impact of human activities, such as agriculture and urbanization, on species loss and the environment. The script emphasizes the importance of biodiversity for food security, health, and ecosystem services, and calls for policies based on scientific knowledge to conserve this essential natural heritage.

Takeaways

• 📅 In June 2020, Brazil's Ministry of the Environment updated the list of species threatened with extinction, with 3,209 plant species and 1,249 animal species at risk.
• 🔍 Over half of the species on the list were added in the most recent survey, highlighting the rapid increase in species identified at risk in recent years.
• 🐦 The only Brazilian species considered extinct in the wild is the Mutum from the Northeast, although some individuals remain in captivity.
• 🌱 Brazil is exceptionally rich in biodiversity, with the highest number of known species, accounting for about 13% of the world's species.
• 🏆 The country ranks second in the world for the total number of endemic species, closely tied with Indonesia, making it one of the 17 most diverse countries on Earth.
• 🔄 Natural extinction is a normal process, with an estimated 99% of all species that have ever lived on Earth being extinct, typically balanced by the emergence of new species over hundreds of thousands of years.
• ⚠️ Brazil is currently experiencing a loss of biodiversity at a much faster rate than it can recover, with human activities increasing the natural extinction rate by at least 100 times.
• 🏭 Human activities such as urbanization and industrialization have drastically altered ecosystems, leading to a reduction in animal and plant populations and their geographical distribution.
• 🌾 Agricultural expansion, particularly the conversion of preserved areas into monoculture croplands and pastures, is a major risk to biodiversity, as it significantly reduces the variety of species in the affected regions.
• 💧 Freshwater biodiversity is decreasing much faster than marine or forest biodiversity, with the world having lost nearly 90% of wetland areas since 1700, impacting species like reptiles, amphibians, and freshwater fish.
• 🌡 Climate change, while not the primary cause of global biodiversity loss currently, is expected to become as or more significant than other factors in the coming decades, affecting species distribution, population sizes, and reproductive cycles.

Q & A

What significant update did the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment make in June 2020 regarding endangered species?

In June 2020, the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment updated its list of endangered species, adding 3,209 plant species and 1,249 animal species, more than half of which were identified as at risk in recent years.

What is the current status of the Mutum from Northeast Brazil in terms of extinction?

The Mutum from Northeast Brazil is considered extinct in the wild but there are still some specimens in captivity. Thanks to a reintroduction project in the Brazilian Caatinga, it was removed from the extinct category in the last assessment.

What does the term 'biodiversity' encompass according to the script?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, including ecosystems such as deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, and agricultural environments. It involves living organisms, including humans, that form communities and interact with each other and their surroundings.

How does Brazil rank in terms of biodiversity, especially concerning endemic species?

Brazil ranks second in the world for the total number of endemic species, closely tied with Indonesia for the first place, and is one of the 17 most diverse countries on the planet.

What is the natural process of species extinction estimated to be, and how does it compare to the current rate in Brazil?

It is estimated that about 99% of all species that have ever existed on Earth have gone extinct naturally, usually within a balance where new species evolve over hundreds of thousands of years or more. However, Brazil is currently losing biodiversity much faster than it can recover, with the rate of extinction increased by at least 100 times due to human activities.

What are the main causes of biodiversity loss mentioned in the script?

The main causes of biodiversity loss mentioned are land-use changes, such as converting preserved areas into agricultural regions, extraction of natural resources, industrialization, urbanization, and climate change.

How has the freshwater biodiversity been affected compared to marine or forest biodiversity?

Freshwater biodiversity has decreased much faster than marine or forest biodiversity, with the world losing nearly 90% of wetland areas since 1700, affecting species like reptiles, amphibians, and freshwater fish.

What is the impact of climate change on biodiversity, particularly on different species?

Climate change impacts different species in various ways depending on their habitats. For example, Arctic or tundra species are more affected by climate changes due to direct transformations of their cold environments, while high-sea fish are relatively protected due to less temperature variation impact.

What is the role of biodiversity in food security and agriculture, according to the script?

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in food security and agriculture by making production systems and means of subsistence more resistant to shocks and stresses, such as climate change events. It also provides genetic reserves that can be used for developing more resistant, productive, or nutritious crop varieties.

How does the loss of biodiversity affect the development of new medicines and the emergence of new diseases?

The loss of biodiversity reduces the pool of potential medicinal compounds that can be derived from wild species, while at the same time, it increases the chances of encountering new diseases, as human contact with wild animals increases due to habitat destruction and climate change.

What are ecosystem services, and how do they benefit human activities?

Ecosystem services are the processes and conditions of natural systems that support or assist human activities, such as the pollination services provided by pollinators, which are essential for the production of fruits and seeds in agriculture.

What is the IUCN Red List, and how does it contribute to global biodiversity conservation?

The IUCN Red List is the most comprehensive source of information on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus, and plant species. It serves as a tool for summarizing and prioritizing conservation actions and public policies related to biodiversity.

What is Brazil's current status regarding the conservation of its biodiversity, according to the script?

Brazil has established one of the world's largest participatory conservation planning efforts, covering all Brazilian biomes, and recognizes 1,530 priority areas for sustainable use and shared benefits of biodiversity. However, data on deforestation indicate that the loss of biodiversity is still increasing.