Biodiversity resource ages 13 to 17 years

Biodiversity and the balance of nature

How much do you know about biodiversity?
Choose the right answer.

1. Biodiversity is:

1. a varied and appetizing organic diet
2. a combination of male and female animals
3. a variety of living species, ecosystems and genetic material

2. Nature and biodiversity provide us with many services, for example:

1. the production of food and raw materials for our daily needs
2. the variety of countries we can visit
3. the diversity of mosquitoes that can bite us

3. Currently, the threats to biodiversity come mainly from:

1. human beings
2. predators, like lions and wolves
3. disasters, like an asteroid collision

4. To reduce the loss of biodiversity, we need to, among other things:

1. develop spruce forests
2. reduce pollution
3. increase our consumption

Answers:
1.C  2.A  3.A  4.B

Now explore our site to become an expert on biodiversity and see how we can preserve it!

We need everyone

Imagine if, all of a sudden, there were no more hairdressers, farmers or nurses: human societies would be destabilized. Social diversity among human beings is essential.

Biodiversity is equally important for nature. With many species of animals, plants and even microbes present in the environment, the ecosystem is richer and more stable. Each species, no matter how big or small, contributes to the balance of nature. More biodiversity not only provides us with more resources and a more interesting living environment but also holds intrinsic value, deserving respect and protection simply because it exists.

Species by the millions

A species is a group of living organisms with common characteristics that can reproduce with each other. For example, a horse and a donkey are similar and can have young (offspring), but these offspring are sterile and cannot give birth: the horse and the donkey are therefore two different species.

Evolution has been generous: biologists have identified nearly two million species of animals, plants, fungi, and microbes. It is estimated that the number of species to be discovered is greater than the number of known species. Plenty of work for scientists!

Learn more about Canada’s biodiversity through the Wild Species Report.

Figure 1 - How many species in Canada

Biodiversity is everywhere

For those who enjoy watching and spending time in nature, biodiversity is a source of wonder. Even in the city, there are many species of birds, vertebrates, insects, plants, fungi... and people too! All these living things, which interact with each other and with their environment, constitute an ecosystem.

Ecosystems come in all sizes: it could be your fish tank, your local park, a field in the countryside, the boreal forest, or Lake Ontario. It could even be your gut, which is home to billions of bacteria!

The advantage of diversity

Biodiversity includes not only the variety of species and ecosystems, but also genes. Intraspecific biodiversity is the difference in genes within a single species. This is like humans having different colored eyes, or hair. Interspecific biodiversity is the diversity of different species, like humans, dogs and sugar maples!

Genetic diversity within a species (intraspecific) helps it adapt to changes in its environment. For example, if a disease affects a population of beluga whales and they have the same genes, they could all die. However, if some beluga whales have genes that protect them from disease, those whales will survive and help the species continue.

Protecting biodiversity

Nature is beautiful and leaving future generations an unspoiled world, with healthy animals, plants and ecosystems, is a good enough reason to protect biodiversity. Another reason to do so is that nature provides us with great services, for free, no less! These benefits are called “ecosystem services”.

Ecosystem services

Nature provides us with:

• our food: plants and animals
• raw materials: wood, peat, rubber, textiles, energy sources, etcetera
• medicines: aspirin, morphine, many anti-cancer remedies are extracted or obtained from plants
• spaces to relax: walking in a park or forest reduces stress and improves physical and mental health

Wetlands filter water and reduce flooding during heavy rain. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and slow down global warming. Trees, plants, and fungi purify the air and soil. Thank you to nature’s maintenance department!

Figure 2 - Examples of the importance of biodiversity

Biodiversity under threat

But nature does not have it easy. Towns and agricultural land are expanding; forests are being cut down and minerals are being extracted. These human activities affect wetlands and other land still in its natural state. Wild animals and plants are seeing their territories shrink, their habitats getting smaller and smaller. Forests and oceans are over harvested. Pollution and climate change are making many species vulnerable. Populations of several species are declining to the point that some species are disappearing.

Figure 3 - 5 threats to biodiversity

Species in danger

Around one million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction on Earth! Species are disappearing 100 times faster than over the last 10 million years. In Canada, out of 80,000 recorded species, more than 5,000 are possibly at risk, such as the Northern myotis bat and the Island blue butterfly.

Reversing the trend

Nothing is inevitable: humanity has already solved or mitigated other environmental problems, such as those of the ozone layer or acid rain The Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy and the Nature Accountability Bill aims to restore biodiversity and protect nature. Numerous actions can contribute to this. Let's clear it all up... figuratively, of course, we'll leave the forest alone!

Our expanding world

Humans are changing the environment. The human population is growing, as are its needs for water, food, energy, resources and space. Every time a house, factory, dam or new road is built, the habitats of wild animals and plants are altered and reduced. Excessive gathering of plants or mushrooms, over-fishing and poaching are reducing the populations of many species.

Pollution

Air, water and soil pollution can affect the health and reproduction of animals and plants. If chemicals are dumped in a lake, aquatic life has nowhere to go!

Climate change

Climate change is transforming the habitats of plants and animals. Finding water or food can become more difficult. Because the oceans are getting warmer, the water contains less oxygen. This is not good for fish and other marine organisms!

Invasive species

Invasive species establish themselves in a new environment, often because humans transport seeds or animals from elsewhere. These species multiply, compete with local species and reduce biodiversity. In Canada, for example, the emerald ash borer, an insect native to South Asia, has decimated millions of ash trees. The Asian carp and the zebra mussel are changing the ecology of the Great Lakes.

Figure 4 - Asian carp

Extinct species

Since prehistoric times, the population of wild mammals has declined dramatically. Today, there are only 20% of the wild mammals that once roamed the Earth!  Almost 700 species of vertebrates have become extinct.

In Canada, more than a hundred animal and plant species are considered to have disappeared. Have you ever seen a great auk or a passenger pigeon? Yet there were several billion of them in North America at the beginning of the 19th century!

Figure 5 - Passenger pigeon

Also in Canada, several hundred species are classified as “endangered”. On the list are species like the North Atlantic right whale, the beluga population in the St. Lawrence Estuary, the Vancouver Island marmot, the Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon, the Athabasca River rainbow trout, the monarch butterfly and the butternut tree. And we could also talk about the many species only considered “threatened”, a less serious rating than “endangered”.

A species that disappears is serious! For example, if a predator such as the wolf declines in a region, the herbivore population, like hares, explodes. What impact do you think this would have on the surrounding vegetation?

Yes, it affects us

We are all affected by the loss of biodiversity. For example, the decline in bee populations puts pollination at risk, which is essential for more than 75% of agricultural crops. Many species of trees are threatened with extinction, yet trees provide wood, absorb carbon dioxide, and contribute to our food (fruits, nuts). Medicines are developed based on molecules found in nature; if plants disappear, it may be that future medicines will never see the light of day!

Protecting biodiversity is a win-win situation

Nature is a source of beauty and wonder and every living thing deserves our respect. Each species has a right to exist, and we are all connected through our relationship with nature, which enriches our lives.

Protecting nature isn’t just good for the environment – it helps us too. By preserving biodiversity, we make sure that these important benefits continue for us and future generations. It’s a win-win situation: we take care of nature, and nature takes care of us!

Acting collectively

Limiting and reversing the degradation of nature requires individual and, above all, collective action. Governments must provide convincing leadership and engage with citizens, businesses, and local communities. Actions should ensure that the benefits that nature provides are shared equitably among all people.

Indigenous leadership in nature conservation is playing an important role in the preservation of nature. Traditional indigenous knowledge  enables a harmonious relationship with the land. Many territories are protected under indigenous  leadership The fight against climate change also contributes to the protection of biodiversity.

Expanding and creating protected areas

Have you ever been to a national, provincial, or regional park? Protected areas are territories where nature conservation is ensured in the long term. The first national park, Banff, created in 1885, was the ancestor of several dozen parks. This interactive indicator map highlights land that Canada aims to protect by 2030.

In the mid-2020s, this proportion was around 15%; there is still some way to go!

Figure 6 - Map of Canada’s protected and conserved areas

Reversing the trend

Land disturbed by human activity can be restored, and endangered species can be supported or reintroduced in certain regions. The Plains Bison Biodiversity Success Story shares details on the reintroduction of this species.

There were once millions of plains bison living in the Canadian Prairies. By the end of the 19th century, the wild bison was on the verge of extinction, if not already extinct. Fortunately, there were small private herds that made it possible to reintroduce the species to certain national parks. Their presence allows other species to thrive like prairie dogs, ground-nesting birds, and wildflowers.

Figure 7 - Plains bison

Cultural change

Protecting biodiversity is about rethinking how we do things as a society. The way we’ve been living has caused serious harm to the environment, and we need to reconsider how and why we take certain actions.

Many agricultural practices can promote biodiversity: reducing monocultures, widening riparian zones along waterways, planting windbreaks, limiting the use of pesticides, fertilizing without excess, reducing erosion in fields by always leaving plants in them, etcetera. Reducing meat consumption can also help, by reducing the amount of land used for livestock farming and allowing more space for forests to regrow.

But beyond agriculture, we need to come together as a society and take a stand to do things differently. This means thinking about how our daily choices – like what we buy, how we travel, how we use energy – affect the planet. By making more environmentally friendly choices, supporting policies and laws that protect nature, and spreading awareness, we can all be part of a cultural shift that protects biodiversity.

Changing our ways might seem challenging, but by working together, we can create a positive impact for current and future generations.

Getting closer to nature and protecting it

If we get outside, explore and love nature, it is more likely that we will want to preserve it! See how you can preserve biodiversity from your home Getting closer to nature helps us appreciate its beauty and importance in our lives. As Baba Dioum, a Senegalese forester said, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.” By spending time outdoors, we learn to understand and love the natural world, making us more committed to protecting it.

When hiking, we stay on marked trails as much as possible, we take our waste with us, and we avoid damaging or picking plants or disturbing wild animals. Learn about outdoor ethics and the seven Leave No Trace principles. In the garden, you can reduce lawn area and plant local species that favour pollinators.

By making these efforts, we become more connected to nature and more motivated to ensure its preservation for years to come. So, get out there, enjoy the outdoors, and become a steward of the environment!

Keep invasive species out

A few precautions can help reduce the spread of invasive species. Do not transport firewood, which can contain insects, from one region to another. If you move a watercraft, even a kayak or a paddleboard, from one body of water to another, clean it to remove zebra mussels and their larvae. Do not release animals into the wild, not even a goldfish or a turtle!

Figure 8 - Wash watercraft

Reducing our personal impact

Consuming less means extracting fewer resources and producing less waste: a good idea for nature! We can also buy or give away used goods, repair damaged objects or clothes, etc. We recycle plastic, and take paint, batteries and electronic devices to a collection point or the eco-center. We can also think about how we use artificial intelligence (AI) to limit the resources needed for processing those requests.

Visit the Protect Nature Challenge for more ideas on how to help preserve biodiversity.

We are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impacts of climate change on nature. See how you can take action to tackle the climate crisis.

Figure 9 - Actions to protect the environment

Every action we take to protect biodiversity, no matter how small, can make a big difference. By being mindful of our choices and encouraging others to do the same, we can help preserve the incredible diversity of life on our planet. Let’s take a stand together and make a positive impact for our future and the amazing natural world we all share.