Human Activity and Biodiversity

Human activity alters ecosystems, depletes resources, and changes the climate. Human activity such as deforestation, clearing land for monoculture and the use of pesticides and herbicides and the introduction of invasive species has had a negative impact on biodiversity.The main drivers are habitat destruction, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species.Overexploitation such as overfishing and hunting reduce populations below sustainable breeding levels.Human activity can also increase biodiversity in an area. Habitats can be created by human intervention and management of land.For example, some governments are creating wildlife-rich habitats. In England, habitat degradation has led to the decline of threatened species such as hedgehogs, hazel dormouse, water vole, and rare birds like the curlew and turtle dove. New habitats will be created across National Parks, National Landscapes, and the Broads and the Peak District. Wet heath will be restored by re-wetting deep peat, and establishing a new area of native woodland on the lower slopes.