Our Role in the Biodiversity Crisis
By Eliot Berz
If you ever took a historical geology class, you may be able to pull back into the memory bank and recall that Earth has experienced a series of mass extinction events. More specifically, the earth has undergone 5 mass extinctions in its history and is on the brink of a sixth that is referred to as the Holocene Extinction. A mass extinction is a period of geological time where a substantial percentage of the Earth’s species are lost which translates to a massive loss in biodiversity. The difference between the past five mass extinctions and the Holocene Extinction is that the current extinction is predominantly caused by human activity. Land use changes that alter land from intact habitats to other uses, such as agriculture or urban and suburban development, are the primary driving forces in this frightening extinction event.
Photo by Kevin Livingood
Our region contains multiple biodiversity hotspots which overlap with the Tennessee River Gorge.
Why is biodiversity important? It is well accepted that biodiversity is crucial in order to have healthy, functioning ecosystems. From a more human-centered perspective, biodiversity is needed to uphold many ecosystems which provide ecosystem services that are relied on by humans. There are points where a severe loss of biodiversity can result in the collapse of ecosystems, therefore, diminishing the services they provide. Regardless of a person’s worldview, it would be impossible to find someone who does not benefit from the ecosystem services that are provided by areas that have impressive biodiversity. There are a wide variety of motivations, but supporting biodiversity should be part of everyone’s worldview.
How do you and TRGT fit into the biodiversity crisis? The quick answer is to be an advocate and promoter of biodiversity. TRGT works to protect intact habitat and promote biodiversity within the Tennessee River Gorge through land protection, habitat restoration, and scientific research. With land use changes being the primary driver of our extinction crisis, conserving areas is a foundational step in maintaining Earth’s biodiversity. There are many steps that can be taken on a more personal level from voting to supporting conservation initiatives and even asking yourself how your day-to-day decision making impacts global biodiversity. Although the current loss of biodiversity seems daunting, humans are equally capable of protecting and restoring the array of species and ecosystems that share this incredible, massive rock that we call home.