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BIODIVERSITY AND HUMAN IMPACTS
Citation:
Barker, J., S. Henderson, R. Noss, AND D. Tingey. BIODIVERSITY AND HUMAN IMPACTS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-90/144 (NTIS PB90263963).
Description:
The basic issue that drives all concerns about biodiversity is theaccelerating and irreplaceable loss of genes, species, populations,and ecosystems through environmental degradation such asdeforestation, strip mining and other developmental projects. Associated with these losses are reduced options for cultural andbiological adaptation to an uncertain and ever-changingenvironment; possible disruption of essential ecological processesand services; and loss of products obtained from nature (presentlyor potentially). n addition, it has been suggested that species,ecosytems, and other elements of biodiversity are valuable in andof themselves and thus should be protected and enhanced. Biodiversity values can be categorized as (1) human utilitarian,(2) ecological utilitarian, (3) cultural, recreational, andesthetics, and (4) ethical or intrinsic.
