Stasis ShiftMapping the Adverse Shift Towards the

Balance of Natural Habitats

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Photograph DPS

Contents;

Introduction

Flora and FaunaHabitatsEcosystemsEcological BalanceBiodiversity

Gaia HypothesisOpposing TheoriesRivet Popper and Species Redundancy - River Popper Extract

Habitat DestructionWildfireInvasive SpeciesDeforestationHabitat Fragmentation

Habitat Conservation

Nature Site Visits

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8 - 9

10 - 11

14 - 15

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20 - 23

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Compiled as an overview of the traumas facing the natural world this informational book aims to highlight the distressing trends that habitats and species are facing in modern times, as the human population continues to grow the space for wildlife and the habitats they dwell within is being reduced, this is and continues to be a major threat to our planet and its wellbeing, with the balance being progressively tipped soon we will reach a point of no return and will have lost ecological balance entirely.

By outlining these themes this ‘Stasis Shift’ set uses its components to create links between the content and meaning, through editorial, photography and illustration. The series of four art prints included within the set are designed to depict different types of habitat destruction and are further contextualised within their appropriate sections to continue these links, giving an informational background to the concept which the illustrations are focused on.

Photography taken during continuous research visits to natural sites is included throughout to showcase the themes within this book.

Introduction

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Flora and Fauna

Flora and Fauna are collective terms which refer to groups of plants or wildlife specific to a particular region or period of time. While Flora refers to plant life, Fauna refers to wildlife. Flora, being of Latin origin defined as the ‘Goddess of Flowers’ sees the grouping or disquisition of plants and bacteria. Fauna on the other hand, refers to the classification of animals of a certain region, time period or particular habit, again from Latin origin, Fauna was the sister of ‘Fannus’, a good spirit of the forest and plains.

The Flora and Fauna of any given geographic is generally explained in biological terms to include the genus and species of plant and animal life, their growing and breeding habitats and their environmental connections. These regional groups are broken down further to include specific environmental factors such as water, land and air dwellings.

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“When camping in such a wilderness as this, you are prepared to hear sounds from some of its inhabitants which will give voice to its wildness. Some idea of bears, wolves, or panthers runs in your head naturally, and when this note is first heard very far off at midnight, as you lie with your ear to the ground, -the forest being perfectly still about you, you take it for granted that it is the voice of a wolf or some other wild beast, for only the last part is heard when at a distance, -you conclude that it is a pack of wolves, baying the moon, or, perchance, cantering after a moose.”

-Henry David Thoreau

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Habitats

A habitat refers to the particular place of dwelling, natural home, or environment of an animal, plant or other living organism. Used to describe the conditions in which such organisms live, a habitat can engender a wide variety of places and situations depending on the organism to which it is related. Described in terms of climate, food availability, geography and neighbouring life habitats can be a large as a forest or as small as a leaf.

Just as there are a vast number of organisms living on the planet, there too are a vast number of different habitats or biomes, they are characterised by their locations. A freshwater habitat could include ponds, lakes, rivers and other instances where the water is not salted, terrestrial habitats can

include grasslands, deserts, forests and rain forests, the factors which make a particular habitat specific to a form of life are the factors and conditions which an organism requires to live and thrive within.

If a habitat is destroyed or by some means ceases to exist the organisms which live and thrive in the habitat either have to adapt to survive or die out as they are no longer provided with the natural environments and factors that they require to develop within. The changing or eradicating of habitats has a destructive effect on not only the localised ecological systems but can also lead to a disruption of food chains, resulting in a shift of the balance within these environments.

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“The most important thing is to preserve the world we live in. Unless people understand and learn about our world, habitats, and animals, they won’t understand that if we don’t protect those habitats, we’ll eventually destroy ourselves.”

- Jack Hanna

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Ecosystems

Referring to a complicated networking of interacting organisms and their physical environment, an ecosystem is constructed of all the living things which are present within a particular area. Used to describe how these organisms interact, react and exist together, ecosystems encapsulate the living organisms with non-living factors such as climate, soil, water, pollution, altitude and so on to construct a personalised ecosystem via their interactions with the living organisms.

Any new addition or subtraction from an ecosystem can dramatically alter the way in which it and the organisms within it function and exist, an ecosystem is a delicate balance of connections and as such even the slightest change can promote catastrophic effects. In affect the entire planet could be considered to be it’s own ecosystem, as suggested by James Lovelock within the Gaia hypothesis during the mid -1960s. Although contributing towards a better understanding of the relationships between organisms and their physical environment, it would prove impossible to track the multiple connections, links and effects that earth would have on every organism present within the ecosystem. As such, ecosystems are usually considered more locally and track the effects to the surrounding ecosystems.

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Ecological Balance

Ecological balance studies show how the worlds rich number inhabitants co-exist and live with each other within the global sphere. When the balance is kept, biodiversity is preserved and ecosystems are maintained. Plants, animals and organisms all living within the same ecosystem form a community and within this community their are hierarchies that need to be present to conserve the balance of the ecological system. If one or more factors are altered to disrupt this hierarchy or ‘food chain’, the ecological balance of the ecosystem would be lost, becoming unstable and thus presenting altering states of population.

In most cases, changes which occur are reacted to by the species which inhabit a particular ecosystem, the ecological balance is thus maintained however there are factors which can extensively alter the states of ecological balance. If a new species is added to an ecosystem this may upset the balance providing

“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.”

- E. O. Wilson

either new prey which can cause overpopulation of less food which can cause other species to struggle to survive. Another example is the sudden eradication of a species which could be due to infection or widespread disease. Removing a species from an ecosystem would leave a gap in the food chain and through this the ecological balance would be distorted. Man made factors such as deforestation and poaching also affect ecological balance, these can be the most dramatic cases as nature is no longer permitted to react only with other naturally occurring local organisms.

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Biodiversity

Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth. It involves the tracking of life, population densities and habitats which contain living things. Covering every inch of the globe, biodiversity is not concerned only with the rare or the common it encompasses every living organism and the variations within organism species. Covering the smallest details of variation within a species and the environments they inhabit, biodiversity plays an important tool in the tracking of evolution and species growth or decline.

Used to follow species in order to protect the endangered, biodiversity notes the changes within the complex global ecological systems and their fluctuations. It allows us to discover and collate information about the millions of species present on planet Earth in order to better our knowledge of the changes in individual species along with the biomes present throughout specific areas and their changes over time.

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“It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for - the whole thing - rather than just one or two stars.”

- David Attenborough

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Gaia Hypothesis

The Gaia Hypothesis puts forth that all organisms and their surroundings on Earth are connected to form one complex system which is able to self regulate and maintain itself, thus is able to constantly provide the conditions for life. Constructed by James Lovelock during the 1960’s, the hypothesis suggests that Earth itself is capable of regulating and adjusting to compensate for both big and small changes within its giant ecosystem, presenting the idea that the world is in control of all the ecosystems and instances of ecological balance within it. Lovelock suggests that any and every incremental or sudden change is reacted to by the planet as an ecological system which causes the equilibrium and balance of the entire ecological system to remain stable and regulated. He proposes that the world is in full control of its ecological balance and any man made or natural occurrences are regulate-able for the balance to be maintained.

“Some of us still get all weepy when we think about the Gaia Hypothesis, the idea that earth is a big furry goddess-creature who resembles everybody’s mom in that she knows what’s best for us. But if you look at the historical record--Krakatoa, Mt. Vesuvius, Hurricane Charley, poison ivy, and so forth down the ages--you have to ask yourself: Whose side is she on, anyway?”

- Barbara Ehrenreich

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Although not substantiated the Gaia theory has opened up many interesting studies into the chemical and biological reactions of Earth, biodiversity and ecosystems. The significance of the large number of species within an environment and the importance of biodiversity for the ecosystem seen within the Gaia theory led to two opposing views. The ‘Rivet-popper’ and the ‘Species Redundancy’, The Rivet-popper hypotheses put forward by Paul R. Ehrlich and his wife Anne H. Ehrlich describes an ecosystem in metaphorical terms as a aeroplane. “Rivet-popper” suggests that all parts of the aeroplane are connected using thousands of rivets, with the removal of a single or a few, little effect can take place to the functioning of the aeroplane initially, however, as more and more rivets are removed, the aeroplane becomes increasingly weaker and the removal of specific rivets which effect the aeroplanes performance more so than others, such as rivets holding wings of the aeroplane will cause a drastic weakening effect on the overall performance.

Opposing Theories

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Using this metaphor, Paul Ehrlich suggests that whilst the world consists of a vast number of species, the removal of some of the species would not overly affect the functioning of the planet as a whole until more and more are removed making the planets ecosystem weaker and weaker. Of course, if a key species driving important functions within the ecosystem is removed this would be more damaging to the ecosystem and would and cause it to be weaker than the removal of several less influential species.

The second opposing hypothesis titled “species redundancy” outlined by Brian Walker states that not all species are of equal importance, species perform differing roles within their ecosystems which can either effect the ecological balance dramatically or insignificantly and that multiple organisms may provide the same ecological services within their own ecosystems. With multiple organisms providing the same services it would be fair to agree with the rivet popper hypothesis and

Rivet Popper / Species Redundancy

conclude that the loss of one of these redundant species which provides a duplicate service would not cause significant ecological change, however Walker states that the redundant species is still of great importance. Walker proposes that in times of great stress on the ecosystem a redundant species services may be required to supplement the species providing duplicate services, as such the loss of any species from an ecosystem can cause dramatic alterations in a long-scale time frame as it increases ecosystem resilience.

In later times, Ehrlich and Walker published a text together in an attempt to outline their views again and to correct any misunderstandings. Both proposed that whilst certain species are capable of giving the same service, they may only offer that service under specific circumstances, in turn, they replace one another when needed, thus, the significance of a specie can change under differing conditions and situations.

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As you walk from the terminal toward your airliner, you notice a man on a ladder busily prying rivets out of its wing. Somewhat concerned, you saunter over to the rivet popper and ask him just what the hell he’s doing.

”I work for the airline—Growthmania Intercontinental,” the man informs you, “and the airline has discovered that it can sell these rivets for two dollars apiece.”

”But how do you know you won’t fatally weaken the wing doing that?” you inquire.

”Don’t worry,” he assures you. “I’m certain the manufacturer made this plane much stronger than it needs to be, so no harm’s done. Besides, I’ve taken lots of rivets from this wing and it hasn’t fallen off yet. Growthmania Airlines needs the money; if we didn’t pop the rivets, Growthmania wouldn’t be able to continue expanding. And I need the commission they pay me—fifty cents a rivet!”

”You must be out of your mind!”

”I told you not to worry; I know what I’m doing. As a matter of fact, I’m going to fly on this flight also, so you can see there’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about.”

Any sane person would, of course, go back into the terminal, report the gibbering idiot and Growthmania Airlines to the FAA, and make reservations on another carrier. You never have to fly on an airliner. But unfortunately all of us are passengers on a very large spacecraft—one on which we have no option but to fly. And, frighteningly, it is swarming with rivet poppers behaving in ways analogous to that just described. The rivet poppers on Spaceship Earth include such people as the President of the United States, the Chairman of the Soviet Communist Party, and most other politicians and decision makers; many big businessmen and small businessmen; and, inadvertently, most other people on the planet, including you and us. Philip

Rivet Popper Extract

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Handler, the president of the United States National Academy of Sciences, is an important rivet popper, and so are industrialist Daniel Ludwig (who is energetically chopping down the Amazon rainforest), Senator Howard Baker, enemy of the Snail Darter, and Vice President George Bush, friend of nuclear war. Others prominent on the rivet-popper roster include Japanese whalers and wood chippers, many utility executives, the auto moguls of Detroit, the folks who run the AMAX corporation, almost all economists, the Brazilian government, Secretary of the Interior James Watt, the editors of Science, Scientific American, and the Wall Street Journal, the bosses of the pesticide industry, some of the top bureaucrats of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and some of those in the Department of the Interior, the officers of the Entomological Society of America, the faculties of every engineering school in the world, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church.

Now all of these people (and especially you and we) are certainly not crazy or malign. Most of them are in fact simply uninformed—which is one reason for writing a book on the processes and consequences of rivet-popping.Rivet-popping on Spaceship Earth consists of aiding and abetting the extermination of species and populations of nonhuman organisms. The European Lion, the Passenger Pigeon, the Carolina Parakeet, and the Sthenele Brown Butterfly are some of the numerous rivets that are now irretrievably gone; the Chimpanzee, Mountain Gorilla, Siberian Tiger, Right Whale, and California Condor are prominent among the many rivets that are already loosened. The rest of the perhaps ten million species and billions of distinct populations still more or less hold firm. Some of these species supply or could supply important direct benefits to humanity, and all of them are involved in providing free public services without which society could not persist.

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The natural ecological systems of Earth, which supply these vital services, are analogous to the parts of an airplane that make it a suitable vehicle for human beings. But ecosystems are much more complex than wings or engines. Ecosystems, like well-made airplanes, tend to have redundant subsystems and other “design” features that permit them to continue functioning after absorbing a certain amount of abuse. A dozen rivets, or a dozen species, might never be missed. On the other hand, a thirteenth rivet popped from a wing flap, or the extinction of a key species involved in the cycling of nitrogen, could lead to a serious accident.

In most cases an ecologist can no more predict the consequences of the extinction of a given species than an airline passenger can assess the loss of a single rivet. But both can easily foresee the long-term results of continually forcing species to extinction or of removing rivet after rivet. No sensible airline passenger today would accept a continuous loss of rivets from jet transports. Before much more time has passed, attitudes must be changed so that no sane passenger on Spaceship Earth will accept a continuous loss of populations or species of nonhuman organisms. Over most of the several billion years during which life has flourished on this planet, its ecological systems have been under what would be described by the airline industry as “progressive maintenance.” Rivets have dropped out or gradually worn out, but they

were continuously being replaced; in fact, over much of the time our spacecraft was being strengthened by the insertion of more rivets than were being lost. Only since about ten thousand years ago has there been any sign that that process might be more or less permanently reversed. That was when a single species, Homo sapiens, began its meteoric rise to planetary dominance. And only in about the last half-century has it become clear that humanity has been forcing species and populations to extinction at a rate greatly exceeding that of natural attrition and far beyond the rate at which natural processes can replace them. In the last twenty-five years or so, the disparity between the rate of loss and the rate of replacement has become alarming; in the next twenty-five years, unless something is done, it promises to become catastrophic for humanity. The form of the catastrophe is, unfortunately, difficult to predict. Perhaps the most likely event will be an end of civilization in T. S. Eliot’s whimper. As nature is progressively impoverished, its ability to provide a moderate climate, cleanse air and water, recycle wastes, protect crop from pests, replenish soils and so on will be increasingly degraded. The human population will be growing as the capacity of Earth to support people is shrinking. Rising death rates and a failing quality of life will lead to a crumbling of post-industrial civilization. The end may come so gradually that the hour of its arrival may not be recognizable, but the familiar world of today will disappear within the life span of

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Rivet Popper Extract;Extinction: The Causes and Consequences of the Disappearance of Species by Paul and Anne Ehrlich

many people now alive. Of course, the “bang” is always possible. For example, it is likely that destruction of the rich complex of species in the Amazon basin would trigger rapid changes in global climatic patterns. Agriculture remains heavily dependent on stable climate, and human beings remain heavily dependent on food. By the end of the century the extinction of perhaps a million species in the Amazon basin could have entrained famines in which a billion human beings perished. And if our species is very unlucky, the famines could lead to a thermonuclear war, which could extinguish civilization. Fortunately, the accelerating rate of extinctions can be arrested. It will not be easy; it will require both the education of, and concerted action by, hundreds of millions of people. But no tasks are more important, because extinctions of other organisms must be stopped before the living structure of our spacecraft is so weakened that at a moment of stress it fails and civilization is destroyed.

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Photograph DPS

Photograph DPS

Habitat Destruction

Habitat destruction refers to the rending of a natural habitat obsolete through its inability to support the organisms present within it. Organisms which lived in a habitat prior to its destruction are either displaced or destroyed thus reducing biodiversity.

Habitat deconstruction can be a reply to indirect human activities such as pollution, climate change, fragmentation and the introduction of invasive species however the biggest instance of habitat destruction is the direct result of human action, the fast-growth of the human population means that areas of land are harvested for agriculture, development and urbanisation. Factors such as noise pollution, building construction, removal of resources and domestic living have caused and continue to cause dramatic change and instances of destruction across millions of habitats globally. If the rate at which humans are acquiring natural habitats for their own purposes does not slow then the only outcome to follow will be mass extinctions and the depletion of countless natural occurring habitats and species.

Even in instances when organisms are not rendered unable to live via habitat destruction through their displacement to surrounding and other areas, the ecological balance of the ecosystems to which they move are greatly affected. Usually sudden in change, the migrations cause fluctuations to existing habitats which they are sometimes unable to recover from. Whilst we see here the ideation of habitats destroyed by human activity, this is not always this case, floods, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and other natural events all result to habitat loss and destruction.

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Wildfire‘A Sweeping Light’

Wildfire refers to naturally occurring fires which can be a result of excess vegetation, instances of weather and dry areas. Also known as bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, peat fire and vegetation fire it is obvious to see that these fires are not restricted to any particular location or habitat. Uncontrolled, as they are naturally occurring, wildfires spread easily throughout surrounding areas and without any quick action can wipe out vast areas of land. The violent infernos rip through vast areas of land and can travel at speeds of up to 20 kilometres an hour destroying habitats and species in their paths. With extreme weather patterns as a result of global warming causing intense wet periods which aid plant growth, followed by high temperatures causing prolonged dry periods which are vulnerable to fire outbreaks, wildfires are becoming increasingly common and are wiping out vast areas of biodiversity.

However nature is resilient and the ash from fires can fertilise the soil and create new ecosystems in the spring months, yet whilst this advantage can be seen, if these instances of fire become increasingly frequent and uncontrollable, and weather extremes continue, soil and ecosystems may not be left with sufficient time to recover, resulting in the loss of vast areas of biologically diverse habitats.

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An invasive species refers to a species of plant or wildlife that is introduced into a habitat or ecosystem to which they do not naturally belong. Not being a part of the normal construct of the ecosystem, many species which are introduced into ecosystems which they do not already naturally occur settle into the habitat without causing problems, however, there are a few species which become invasive. The factor which causes a species to be referred to as invasive depicts an abnormality in the growth or compatibility within the new environment that they inhabit. Invasive species may be faster growing, more aggressive, competitive or bigger than the species in which they co-exist, these factors can cause an unbalancing of the ecological system. In many cases invasive species are unable to compete with the reactions of the already present native species and are fought off, however, some instances see the invasive species taking over the ecosystem and manipulating the habitat which the other species live within. Invasive species are introduced to environments, either on purpose or accidentally and the consequences can range from unsightly weed growth to competition ending in eradication of other species. One example of an invasive species which thrived to take over its new ecosystem is that of Kudzu.

Kudzu, a plant belonging to the genus Pueraria is a trailing and climbing vine. Native to Japan and

China and originally known as Kuzu in its native culture the vine grows at normal speeds and is not considered to be a pest, in the southern states of America however, where the plant species was first introduced via the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, Kudzu is considered to be an invasive pest species. Unbeknown to the introducers the plant species found its optimum ecosystem in the soil and climate of the American continent. Kudzu presents itself as an invasive species through its ability to grown extensively when its optimum ecosystem is discovered, in the south of America Kudzu has been known to grow up to 7 feet per week and can reach up to 100 feet in length over prolonged periods of time, roots can grown 7 inches or more in diameter and each plant can grow as many as 30 vines from a single root crown. Due to its size, the Kudzu is an incredibly strong plant and as a climbing vine has been known to break branches and literally take-over vast areas of land leaving little room for other plant species to flourish. An estimated 2 million areas of forest land is now reported to be covered by Kudzu in southern America. This invasive species, originally not part of the original flora area, sees the native species being threatened and often over taken by the Kudzu, with no natural predators or pests in the Kudzu’s ever growing locations, disadvantages and destruction to the ecosystems, habitats and species continues to grow.

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Invasive Species‘The Vine that Ate the South’

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Deforestation is the removal of trees from forests via logging and burning. Deforestation is a result of human intervention, forests have suffered losses of vast areas of trees to either make space for agricultural grazing, the harvesting of wood and to free areas of land for domestic habitation. Approximately half of the worlds forests have been lost to deforestation and it is a continuing problem as the human population continues to grow.

Deforestation greatly affects biodiversity and is known to cause extinction of many species. Rainforest’s in particular contain some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, with many species still undiscovered deforestation is increasingly reducing our opportunities to discover species and protect them. Predictions are that 40% of plant and animal species from Southeast Asia could be eradicated during the course of the 21st century. If deforestation is not addressed we face massive alterations in biological diversity and we stand to loose crucial species both discovered and undiscovered as well as habitats and resources that could be vital to our own progression as a human race such as medical reserves.

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Deforestation‘What Once Was Home’

where species can move on and survive they come into situation of over-crowdedness and thus competition increases creating hierarchical issues within ecosystems.

Two of the systems in place to combat the negative effects of human appropriation are those of wildlife corridors and edge effects. Wildlife corridors are placed to provide connections between areas of wildlife populations which are separated through human activities such as developments and construction. It is hoped that these corridors will allow the movement of species through habitat fragments thus increasing genetic diversity through breeding and allowing for movement to reduce competition and territorial behaviour allowing species to thrive rather than self destruct.

Edge effects aim to increase biodiversity by creating separations between areas of human habitation and wildlife habitation, using hedges and other instances of habitat barriers, edge effects allow for new ecosystems to become present which flourish in these separators whilst protecting existing habitats from human interference. Despite the edge effects creating separations between humans and wildlife, the species which dwell closely to the edges of the fragment boundaries have significantly reduced living conditions, both noise and air pollution cause the wildlife to suffer and creates low quality soil and climates for species to thrive within, not to mention the dangers that lie past the border if wildlife were to stray onto human land.

Habitat fragmentation refers to the interruption of a species or multiple species habitats through the placement of non-native constructs. The fragmentation causes isolated areas and patches of habitat which can be cut off from other habitat areas, destruction of areas thus reducing the size of a natural habitat and an increase in the edge: interior ratio of a habitat which poses significant problems to the species dwelling within.

One of the most common instances of habitat fragmentation is via the creation of roads and fences, both human constructs, these place barriers between different areas of a species habitat, making it dangerous and increasingly difficult for animals and species to travel from one area of their natural habitat to another, this causes disorientation and territorial issues for a number of species.

Similar to habitat fragmentation is land development and urban sprawl. As the human population continues to grow so do the constructs which they need to facilitate their living, domestic homes, commercial property and transport or require a reduction in natural habitat to instead harbour human constructs. This appropriation of land reduces the natural habitat areas of wildlife and plant species causing them to then live alongside the human population which decreases their quality of live through climate, noise pollution and quality of air. The species which once dwelled on land that has now been appropriated for human use either wipes out of causes relocation of species, in instances

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Habitat Fragmentation‘The Divide Between Ours and Yours’

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One of the most prolific ways to combat habitat destruction is habitat conservation. Habitat conservation refers to the management of land specifically reserved for the recreation and reconstruction of habitats in order to protect species so as to prevent them from becoming extinct.

Considered one of the most important issues across the globe, habitat conservation aims to protect planet Earth’s natural habitats from the destruction of humans which have altered more than half of the Earth’s terrestrial surface. While the human population continues to grow in size the need to preserve particular areas of importance grows. One of the greatest problems facing habitat and species conservation are migrating species, migrating species require two habitats and a route to travel from one to the other to remain in tact to be able to continue to exist and with the ever expanding human activity of purchasing land for development and for resources, the fight to persevere natural habitats becomes increasingly difficult, thus putting hundreds of thousands of species in danger of extinction in the years to come.

Habitat Conservation

The following is an example illustrating this point by Dr. Peter Moyle:

“Habitats don’t exist in isolation; most of them have inputs and outputs connected to other habitats and ecosystems. Take Mono Lake, for instance, a spectacular lake on the east side of the Sierra Nevada in California. Its water source is streams fed by winter rains and melting snow in the mountains. In its natural state, water leaves the lake only by evaporation. The balance between the inflowing streams and evaporation created a saline lake with many unique features, including a species of brine shrimp found only in Mono Lake. As a large, food-rich body of water in a desert area, the lake is a major fueling stop for migratory waterbirds and a major nesting area for other species, such as California gulls. When water from the lake’s inflowing streams was diverted to quench the ever-growing thirst of Southern California, the lake level dropped drastically. Islands in the lake became connected to the mainland, giving coyotes and other predators access to an easy source of food: nesting California gulls. With adequate inflowing water, the islands were good nesting habitat; without the water they were unsuitable as nesting habitat. Without adequate inflowing water, the lake also would become too saline for the Mono brine shrimp to survive and for migratory waterbirds to feed in. Recognition of this fundamental relationship between inflow and habitat for many species was the partial basis of a successful court action that reduced the diversion of water from the inflowing streams.”

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Richmond Park

Nower Wood and Surrounding Areas

Located in Surrey, UK, Nower Wood is a woodland nature reserve covering 82.41 acres of land. An education reserve, Nower wood contains an array of habitats including chalk grassland, ponds, heathland glade and most predominately oak woodland. Whilst the main point of conservation is for the protection of important trees such as oak and sweet chestnut Nower Wood is also home to many species of birds and wildlife including the sparrow hawk, woodcock and wood warbler. Nower Wood aims to preserve its species without disturbance while allowing the site to be accessed for a rich source of education value.

A beautiful location the reserve ensures the safety of the habitats within and promotes biodiversity by allowing nature to function removed from the surrounding threats of human activity. Nower wood is part of Surrey’s rich network of nature reserves which span the entire county, other reserves close by trying to achieve the same human removal are those of the idyllic scenes of Headley Warren Nature Reserve and Cherkley Wood.

Richmond Park is a national nature reserve and royal park, the largest of the royal parks Richmond is home to an exciting range of different species. In the park over 1,000 species of beetle alone have been recorded. The park hosts ancient tress such as oaks and endangered species of fungi.

The park is home to 300 red deer and 350 fallow deer, originally a deer-hunting park the deer have played a major role in the shaping of the park’s landscapes and history. Although open to the public the deer and other species of mammal are able to navigate the park as priories and enjoy their habitat as they would do in any area, people are discouraged to interacting with the wild animals and are forbidden to feed them. The deer help to maintain the largest acid grassland present in London, a specialist habitat it is home to a wealth of exciting a site specific species which all add to the biodiversity present in the park’s rich network of flora and fauna.

A site of great beauty Richmond Park is enjoy by humans, wildlife and plant species equally allowing the species to thrive in their natural habitats protected from the majority of negative human intervention and continually develop their rich ecosystem.

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The London Wetland Centre

The London Wetland Centre maintains and conserves 43 hectares of wetland habitats on the outskirts of London, responsible for the preservation of lakes, ponds and reed-beds it is home to a variety of flora and fauna including dragonflies, falcons and rich a rich selection of wetland plant species.

Managed by the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust, in its twelve years of conservation the wetland centre has maintained with great success, a network of water bodies, breeding grounds for rare species of fauna and the protection of species that may otherwise be extinct.

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