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PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
Citation:
Smith, E R. PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
Provide regional-scale, spatially explicit information on the extent and distribution of both stressors and sensitive resources.
Develop and evaluate techniques to integrate information on exposure and effects so that relative risk can be assessed and management actions can be prioritized.
Predict consequences of potential environmental changes under alternative future scenarios.
Effectively communicate economic and quality of life trade-offs associated with alternative environmental policies.
Develop techniques to prioritize areas for ecological restoration.
Identify information gaps and recommend actions to improve monitoring and focus research.
There are two task objectives that reflect the work done by LCB in support of the ReVA Program objectives:
Provide information management, spatial analysis support, and data and information accessibility for the ReVA Program
Provide program management support, technology transfer, and outreach.
Description:
At present, over 40% of the earth's land surface has been converted from its natural state to one dominated by human activities such as agriculture and development. The destruction and degradation of natural habitats has been clearly linked to the loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, is a broad concept that encompasses the richness of biological organisms, functions, and systems. Protecting biodiversity is important for a number of different reasons. For example, protecting biodiversity safeguards important ecosystem services such as clean air and water. Other reasons include: preventing the loss of organisms that may have as yet undiscovered medicinal uses, aesthetic reasons, and the intrinsic value of biodiversity. Therefore, preserving biodiversity is often the primary goal of conservation planning.