Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management in Canada

Conservation of Biological Diversity

The term biodiversity refers to the various life forms we experience around us. Biodiversity conservation involves protecting this diversity of life with the aim of ensuring that the environment remains capable of meeting the needs of current and future populations. This paper provides answers to a series of discussion questions touching on the concepts of biodiversity and biodiversity conservation in Canada.

1. List at least three major threats to biological diversity in Canada. Which of these is the most significant and why?

The term biological diversity refers to the various life forms we experience around us. In Canada, it is threatened by a variety of factors that include human activities, pollution, and competing land uses. Human activities represent the most significant threat to biodiversity, given that almost every single human activity causes some form of alteration to the natural environment. Conversion of natural habitats to farmlands, driven by increased food production demands, has resulted in the loss of over 80% of prairie habitat (Conservation Issues, n.d.). Moreover, agriculture continues to cause the extirpation and reduction of wild-pollinating insects, scrublands, grasslands, and other fauna. Poor agricultural practices also cause the loss of topsoil and degrade soil quality. What is even more concerning is that this trend is expected to continue as the population grows.

2. Briefly explain the basic approaches that Canada is taking to involve different stakeholders in its effort to conserve biodiversity.

Canada uses two main approaches to engage all stakeholders in the conservation of biodiversity. The first is responsibility-sharing: the federal government recognizes conservation as a joint effort requiring the collaboration of all stakeholders. For this reason, it has shared conservation responsibilities among itself, provincial and territorial governments, wildlife management boards, local communities, and individuals — each with a specific role to play (Environment Canada, 2015). The second approach is the formation of strategic partnerships with stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. A notable example is a partnership formed between the federal government, municipal governments, residents, ranchers, and farmers to help restore the rangelands in western Canada, which had been severely degraded by human activities (Environment Canada, 2015).

3. Explain why non-native species are considered a threat to the conservation of biological diversity. What strategies are being used to counter the effects of this threat?

Non-native species are species that are not native to a particular area but arrive with human assistance and then spread on their own. They threaten biodiversity because they often cause damage or even extinction of native species through habitat modification, predation, hybridization, and competition for resources. A well-known example is the brown tree snake, an invasive species that has nearly wiped out all native bird and lizard species on Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

A number of strategies are being implemented to counter this threat. At the prevention level, these include providing access to information on the risks posed by such species, increasing public awareness of how species spread, and developing risk-assessment processes for stakeholders and working groups. At the operational level, strategies include using chemical and laboratory-generated techniques to control the spread of invasive species — for instance, collecting eggs and incubating them in laboratories to prevent hatching, injecting individuals with drugs that inhibit reproduction — and establishing refuges for native species under threat.