Conservation helping with global biodiversity
Much is rightly written about wildlife and nature in decline, particularly due to intensive farming and global warming however, international researchers have found conservation is making a positive change to global biodiversity.
The team of international researchers spent an entire decade looking at all sorts of conservation measures, from the eradication of invasive algae to hatching Chinook salmon.
They looked at projects that started in the noughties and also at projects that started in the 1890s too and found that conservation actions improved the state of biodiversity or slowed the decline in 66 per cent of cases when compared with no action.
The research and findings were published in the Journal ‘Science’ and 665 conservation trials were assessed and measured.
While some of the studies didn’t have the intended consequence to nature the scientists intended, Dr Langhammer from the research said there were still benefits.
"One of the most interesting findings was that even when a conservation intervention didn't work for the species that is was intended, other species unintentionally benefited."
The example cited by the researchers for this is the fact that creating marine protected areas for Australian seahorses, meant more of them were eaten as their natural predators' populations had increased as a consequence of the numbers of seahorses increasing.
A staggering one out of every three species monitored by science is currently endangered because of human activities.
While that’s terrible news though, the study found some incredible success stories thanks to human intervention and activities.
So while humans have undoubtably been a big part of the problem, we’re also potentially a huge part of the solution.
The success stories include from the research found deforestation rates have fallen by 74 per cent in the Congo Basin, following the introduction of management plans to reduce tree loss.
In Florida Least Tern breeding rates have doubled because of predator management on the islands.
When studies like this are released that extrapolate such huge numbers and look at things in a global context, it can serve to really galvanise support for conservation.
And there’s much we can do too to support wildlife in the
UK. From leaving fresh water out in the hot weather for wildlife, to avoiding using pesticide and buying organic food when possible.
Knowing long term plans and conservation are making such an impact on a global scale is fantastic news and something definitely worth celebrating.