Development and Biodiversity
From Envirowiki
Many countries throughout the world still remain undeveloped. These countries tend to have more biodiversity and a healthier environment due to the fact that there is less human impact. However, many of these countries are starting to turn to development, as it is advancing their countries to a better economic standing. Development is greatly harming the biodiversity of these countries, killing and threatening many species.
[edit] 1 Case Study: Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea, much harm is being caused to the environment due to the fact that the mining company is expanding[reference needed].
[edit] 2 Why Is It Important To Protect Biodiversity In Places Such As Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea is known to be the origin of many plants and species throughout Asia.
- It is among the world’s top ten places of biodiversity.
- Many plants were domesticated there and it is the largest primary tropical forest remaining in the Asia Pacific.
- It has more than more than five percent of the world's species.
- It is the world's third largest unbroken tropical rainforest.
- More orchid species than any other place on earth.
- Home to almost all of the world's species of birds of paradise and tree kangaroos, and most extensive and pristine coral reefs in the world.
Scientists study Papua New Guinea in order to better understand the emergence of agriculture. Other places of great biodiversity are also origins of many species, and therefore are important to protect. Although development is occurring in Papua New Guinea, not all locals are participating it in, and many still depends on the forests and rivers which are being polluted due to the new development. People still depend on the forests and rivers there for food, shelter and medicine. Although development is increasing the money flow in countries like this, if the habitats are lost then natural resources will not be managed at a sustainable level and the country will go back into poverty. The world wildlife foundation recognizes Papua New Guinea as one of the world’s most important areas to conserve.
[edit] 3 What Harm Is Being Caused By The New Development?
Since the mining company is being locally supported, it is taking away the attention of the harm that is being caused to the environment. The mining projects are affecting the coral reefs and the land above water. All of these issues pose a threat to the biodiversity of the island.
- Deep Sea Tailing Disposals which the mining companies perform accumulate toxic metals at the bottom of the sea floor which then affect the organisms which live on the sea floor.
- Heavy rain has caused sediment plume from the roads, so the reefs close to the mines suffer from sediment.
- Pollution in the form of poisonous gases is also released from the mine’s processing plant.
- Crop yields have declined and plants don’t grow as well. Some believe that this is due to the smock stacks at the mine, and how they possibly cause acid rain which then poisoned soil
- Dumping of the soft waste from waste barges which might cause the rising of the sea levels, smoke emissions from the process power plant (acid rain and low plant yield), and that the waters can be affected by chemicals from the mines which can come down from rainfall.
- The production of non-biodegradable rubbish that then sits on the land with no one to remove it.
- Resources are becoming low because of the destruction of large fruit trees and nut trees. They are being cut down to build houses for the new population, reducing food resources.
- Mining companies are not being careful, and already have brought over invasive species. The Giant African Snail is an invasive species. They are an epidemic in many parts of Papua New Guinea. This is greatly affecting the biodiversity of the island, as it is a threat to local food production which many people rely on. They cause serious damage to crops and if you try to kill them they will die, but they lay thousands of eggs and keep growing in numbers.
[edit] 4 Development’s Affect on the Coral Reefs
[edit] 4.1 Why Is Coral Important?
Coral is important because it is home to many species and has symbiotic relationships with many. If there were no coral, many marine species would die off, therefore affecting the biodiversity within the tropical areas. Coral reefs are important because the world does not depend on humans, and we know this because these creatures were here before us. The coral reefs have the second greatest amount of biodiversity of any ecosystem. We depend on the ocean for a lot of things such as food and medicine and there is even more ocean than land. The ocean makes up a large part of the food chain and without any water animals the whole cycle would be messed up.
[edit] 4.2 How Does Development Hurt Coral?
Coral is a very sensitive animal, with many different species dependent on it for shelter. It can only live in a certain temperature range, and is easily affected by pollution. When a coral dies it is referred to as Coral Bleaching. This is when the calcium carbonate skeleton is left behind and the actual organism has died. Coral bleaching occurs in many areas with human interaction. Coral reefs are affected by sediment which can land on them when: swimmers are near by, boats are near by, or when things are dumped into the water. This occurs more in industrialized places. There is also a lot of trade in developed countries, and big shipping boats cause oil spills and put pollutants into the water which kills all ocean life, not just coral reefs. In places with more development and more people, the water where coral lives tend to be more polluted and therefore there is more coral bleaching.
Other contributing factors to reef pollution are our household products, and if there is more development, that means more population, which means more household wastes. When the rain comes down, a lot of trash and chemicals that we throw onto the land is pushed into the water. Some sewage plants are located next to the ocean and a lot of their wastes end up in the water.
[edit] 5 Development In The Rain Forest
It is harming both humans and the biodiversity.
A great example of harm done due to development in places of great biodiversity is in the South American Rainforest. Humans are destroying the rainforest for economic gain.
- Lumber companies also cut down the rainforest to provide wood which is usually disposed of and not reused.
- Many endangered animals depend on the rainforest to live, and many have already become extinct without this habitat.
- The rainforests are extremely important for humans, since the Amazon is said to produce 40% of the world's oxygen, an element that is essential for survival.
- One in four medicines comes from a plant in the rainforest and there are 1400 plants there which are said to help cure cancer.
[edit] 6 Will development in other countries hurt humans in the end as well?
Instead of coming up with better solutions we continue to allow our rainforests to be depleted which in the end will cause immense harm to ourselves. A World Wildlife Fund report said that only one-fifth of the world's forests could provide all the commercial wood and fiber needed to meet demands in the future if the area were intensively managed using sustainable forest-management principles.
[edit] 7 Why Can’t These Areas Perform Sustainable Development Practices?
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, therefore living off of resources that can regenerate. These undeveloped countries do not have the money to advance the technology being used, and to use sustainable development. This is creating a conflict between development and the environment, since the development is helping out humans, but at the same time depleting the environment. This is happening in many countries and it is extremely difficult to control. It is important that if unindustrialized countries are going to develop, that the development is sustainable, and they do it in ways that do not harm the environment. However it is not easy to come up with the funds to perform sustainable development. Many people live with the attitude of helping out the environment later once the depletion actually affects us as individuals.
[edit] 8 How Can We Help?
Although it is hard to use sustainable development without sufficient funds, there should still be ways that we can make a change. The first step is to try to educate that locals of these undeveloped and indigenous countries, and let them know about the consequences of their actions.
People from different countries can also help to protect not only the biodiversity hotspots but their local environments from harm due to further development:
It is important to be an informed consumer. Be aware of what you’re buying and learn more about environmental issues so that you can make the right decisions for yourself.
Recycle and reuse as much as possible!
Inform others. Inform your children, friends, teachers, parents, and families. Inform loved ones, the ones who trust you who you know care what you think. Inform them about the environmental issues and why we need to change, and inform them on how they can help.
Take opportunities to tell officials about ways that they can change things so that they are more environmental friendly. Since not everyone lives near the rainforest or biodiversity hotspots, we can get our thoughts and opinions out this way.
Vote on propositions and laws that will help to save our oceans, forests, land and air. It is important that we all make a change so that we can save our environment which we so greatly depend on, and are allowing to be destroyed due to our own personal needs.
[edit] 9 See also
[edit] 10 Sources
- Denham, T., et. al., New evidence and revised interpretations of early agriculture in Highland New Guinea. Antiquity v. 78 (December 2004) p. 839-57
- Speth, James Gustave. Red Sky At Morning, America and The Crisis Of The Global Environment. Yale University Press, 2004.
- “The World Wildlife Fund.”WWF.com. 2007. 13 March 2007. http://www.wwf.org/wildplaces/ng/about.cfm
