12.5 Causes of biodiversity loss

. Causes of biodiversity loss The major causes for biodiversity decline are: • Habitat loss, fragmentation and destruction (affects about % of all species) • Pollution and pollutants (smog, pesticides, herbicides, oil slicks, GHGs) • Climate change • Introduction of alien/exotic species • Over exploitation of resources (poaching, indiscriminate cutting of trees, over fishing, hunting, mining) • Intensive agriculture and aquacultural practices • Hybridization between native and non- native species and loss of native species • Natural disasters (Tsunami, forest fire, earth quake, volcanoes) • Industrialization, Urbanization, infrastructure development, Transport – Road and Shipping activity, communication towers, dam construction, unregulated tourism and monoculture are common area of specific threats • Co-extinction