Agriculture has a big impact on the loss of biodiversity, which means a variety of plants and animals. Here are the main ways it happens:
Loss of Homes: When forests, wetlands, and grasslands are changed into farms, many animals lose their homes. About 40% of the land on Earth is used for farming. This is a lot of land and leads to the loss of important habitats for many species.
Planting the Same Crop: Farmers often grow only one type of crop in large areas. This is called monoculture. It reduces the variety of plants grown. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that over 75% of our food comes from just 12 kinds of plants and 5 types of animals.
Use of Chemicals: Farmers use pesticides and fertilizers to help their crops grow. But these chemicals can hurt other animals and plants in nature. Some studies have shown that using pesticides can lead to a drop in bees and other pollinators by as much as 30% in some places.
Water Use and Pollution: Farming uses a lot of water. Around 80% of the world's fresh water is taken for agriculture. This can lead to pollution in our rivers and lakes when excess nutrients from fertilizers wash away. This pollution causes problems in water bodies, also harming fish and other wildlife.
Impact on Climate: Farming activities add to climate change by contributing about 14% to the world's greenhouse gas emissions. This makes climate change worse and disrupts the balance in nature.
In summary, all these factors work together to speed up the loss of biodiversity. This is threatening the balance of ecosystems and the services they provide to us.
Agriculture has a big impact on the loss of biodiversity, which means a variety of plants and animals. Here are the main ways it happens:
Loss of Homes: When forests, wetlands, and grasslands are changed into farms, many animals lose their homes. About 40% of the land on Earth is used for farming. This is a lot of land and leads to the loss of important habitats for many species.
Planting the Same Crop: Farmers often grow only one type of crop in large areas. This is called monoculture. It reduces the variety of plants grown. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that over 75% of our food comes from just 12 kinds of plants and 5 types of animals.
Use of Chemicals: Farmers use pesticides and fertilizers to help their crops grow. But these chemicals can hurt other animals and plants in nature. Some studies have shown that using pesticides can lead to a drop in bees and other pollinators by as much as 30% in some places.
Water Use and Pollution: Farming uses a lot of water. Around 80% of the world's fresh water is taken for agriculture. This can lead to pollution in our rivers and lakes when excess nutrients from fertilizers wash away. This pollution causes problems in water bodies, also harming fish and other wildlife.
Impact on Climate: Farming activities add to climate change by contributing about 14% to the world's greenhouse gas emissions. This makes climate change worse and disrupts the balance in nature.
In summary, all these factors work together to speed up the loss of biodiversity. This is threatening the balance of ecosystems and the services they provide to us.