Monday, October 10, 2016

BioBlitz: sacking declining biodiversity

National Geographic and the National Park Service are calling a blitz on declining sustainability. In May 2016 during the centennial celebration of the National Park Service, the BioBlitz was introduced. A BioBlitz is a 24-hour event that brings together scientists, children, educators, and members of the community to identify as many species of plants, animals, and other organisms as they possibly can. This past year, BioBlitzes occurred at over one hundred national parks throughout the United States of America. There was an event close to Orange County in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. 

These BioBlitzes are helpful in getting a sense of what kind of biodiversity there is in the world right outside our door. There are so many species of plants, animals, and other organisms that is almost overwhelming to think about. Even more overwhelming is the fact that many species are in jeopardy of going extinct. When we go outside and identify species, we can gain a better understanding of how small our existence as a species is and how large our impacts is on every other species. Comprehending the biodiversity that is evident in our surroundings is useful in promoting sustainability for various reasons. Many people love animals and plants, so when they find out the shear extent of biodiversity in their regions, they can become more in tune with the preservation of these ecosystems. Also, abundant biodiversity is also helpful in research for medicinal purposes which is also another way that the promotion of bioblitzes helps sustainability. I think as a general rule in my life is that the more you know about your world, the more you care. If people are exposed to the varying levels of biodiversity in their lives, it could help lead them to a path of sustainability that will further increase biodiversity.

In my writing last week, I don't believe I mentioned preserving nature per se. I wrote about respecting the environment as a my way of understanding sustainability. Within being respectful to the environment, there is a large space for preserving nature and promoting biodiversity as well as managing nature in a way that is respectful to the resources and to the future generations that will rely on those resources. Biodiversity is so important in nature because it creates complex and highly productive ecosystems. When you destroy biodiversity, you promote disease, homogeneity, and an extremely unproductive ecosystem. We need to think of biodiversity as a part of sustainability because its more than just keeping the earth beautiful; its about keeping it healthy and productive.

No comments:

Post a Comment