The Impacts Of The El Nino Environmental Sciences Essay

The Impacts Of The El Nino Environmental Sciences EssayBiodiversity refers to the sum of all flavour and its habitat. Biodiversity is the variety of life and the ecological systems which individuals be actively participating in. Biodiversity is important for maintaining ecological balance in nature. Some benefits of biodiversity include human benefits, food, industrial and commercial products, medicines etc. Biodiversity hot spot refers to a bio-geographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. Philippines, one of the worlds richest biodiversity in the world but also one of the most threaten areas in the world. The country contains many enzootic species. 6000 plants and animals reside in forests that occupy barely 7% of the original hotspot. Today, the forests are removed for farming and development plans for the countrys emergence race. The major issue is the fall off of biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines1. By exa mining the environmental adjoins, human impacts, political impacts and the conservation strategies needed to maintain biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines, this research paper testament aim to develop awareness and understanding of how the decline of biodiversity hotspots may be resolved.Human ImpactsPhilippines population of 80 million people survive using the countrys intrinsic resources. With a high population growth rate, the demand for timber has increased. Logging activities see declined due to the deterioration of the forests however, illegal logging activities are still present. separate threats to the countrys forests include mining and land conversion. In 1997, the mining industry occupied more than half of the remaining forests. Roads, waste, power, energy, ports and harbours are current issues to be addressed.2There have been negative impacts upon introducing the following foreign species to Philippines tip much(prenominal) as the giant catfish and black bass toads and frogs including the marine toad, the American bullfrog and leopard frog and aquatic plants like the water hyacinth and water fern. The presence of exotic species becomes a threat to native biodiversity predator-prey interactions are more competitive, loss of species integrity through inter-breeding with exotic species, the spread of disease pathogens along with introduced species and habitat loss for native species.3Only 10% of the sewage in the Philippines is treated in an environmentally friendly manner. With the population rising, there are problems associated with waste management and treatment. The improper waste management affects the countrys ground water, rivers, lakes and coastal areas where the species habitats are threatened.4Over fishing occurs when the fish are caught fleet than they could reproduce. Overfishing increases the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems and may contribute to the loss of species in the region. The main issue in the Philippines involves cyanide fishing where fishermen squirt cyanide into coral holes and crevices, where bring down fish seek shelter5. Other causes of over fishing include catching adult fish too early and in large meter so the reproduction is impaired. Economic overfishing also occurs when increase in the fish effort lead to profit levels that are below the desired consumption.Environmental ImpactsThe impact of El Nio affects Philippines biodiversity hotspots. The countrys brave officials define El Nio as a meteorological event that develops in the Pacific nautical and associated with extreme rains, winds, droughts, etc6. In the Philippines, El Nio has been seen as drought events. El Nio is also the sudden rise of oceanic temperature and vaporisation of surface water therefore having an effect on coral growth and sea life. Algae living inside the tissues of coral help their feeding instrument and other processes for survival. The distress to the sudden change of temperature causes the coral to b leach. Fish no longer live inside the coral because the coral is uneatable. The drought creates dry conditions for fish ponds. The drought also creates a negative impact on marine biodiversity by shorter fish production, inhibit fish growth and increase fish death rate due to stress, poor water quality and disease.Philippines primary forests are being destroyed due to logging and agricultural expansion therefore, decreasing the countrys natural resources. twain particular species of animals are becoming extinct the tamaraw (the wild buffalo) and the Philippines eagle because their habitats are becoming damaged. Deforestation in the Philippines occurs because of agricultural expansion and illegal logging7. Forests nominate cooling insulation to the climate but with deforestation, the climate shifts from drought into flood. The tamaraw (wild buffalo) escapes into the forest to find limited trees to cling onto. Deforestation causes species to be displaced from their original habitat s and loss of bakshis soil causing erosions affecting the habitat for endemic species. Looking back at the farming industrys use of pesticides, erosions may carry the pesticides into the rivers and streams. The water is now dirty with pesticides affecting the endemic species which live in this habitat.The destruction of costal mangroves is also caused by deforestation. Mangroves are needed to protect the coast from hurricanes and other severe weather impacts. Cutting mangroves for fuel wood limits and degrades coral reproduction. Any endemic species living under the water are affected by losing their habitat causing a negative impact on biodiversity hotspots.Political ImpactsInadequate institutional control and poor law enforcement in the Philippines have impacted the biodiversity hotspot for endemic species. The Fisheries mark was passed in 1998 and now serves as the primary legislation for fisheries and coastal management and protection in the Philippines. The Fisheries Code fa ils to recognize who may access and control municipal waters for fishing activities. The Fisheries Code is a weak enforcement system which encourages poaching and violation of marine protected area boundaries. Other problems include current lieu rights, and local power relations to enable local public officials who own or have indirect business with the fishing industry may bend local policy and enforcement outcomes for their personal gain. Political influence enables many to obtain profitable forest profits, enhancing their political power and strengthening their ability to corrupt organization officials. This class dominates the farmers and social economic policies with the results of harming the biodiversity hot spots for endemic species. The legislated operational guidelines are often under addressed on the issues that threat environmental events such as lost of biodiversity. The Forestry law of PD705 is out dated because the law does not contain new methods and approaches li ke biodiversity protection.8Conservation PlansThe World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been working as an international organization in the Philippines since 1997. The organizations mission in the country involves preserving endemic species and biodiversity, maintaining sustainability of natural resources and reducing waste and pollutants in the environment. The organization places strong emphasis on marine biodiversity. WWF-Philippines implanted their plans in 11 provinces and at minimum 28 towns.9To ensure that the network of protected regions is effectively conserving biodiversity by the conservation of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) where endemic or threatened species are held in restricted areas. In the Philippines hotspot, Conservation International-Philippines created a partnership with the Field Museum in Chicago, Haribon Foundation and other local partners to find and distinguish KBAs throughout the Philippines. With protected regions, there is also a need for field research in or der to support conservation activities. Endemic species cut across to be discovered and KBAs are needed to create a plan for their survival.10In the long term, landscape and sea conservation is necessary to protect the biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines. The Philippine Eagle Alliance has collaborated with other conservation organizations in order to protect the endemic species of the country.ConclusionIn recent years, there has been a decline in biodiversity hotspots, particularly in the Philippines. Firstly, human impacts upon endemic species include deforestation, illegal logging, introducing new exotic species, poor sewage management and over fishing. Secondly, environmental impacts such as El Nio, soil erosion, pesticides and destruction of coastal mangroves all affect biodiversity hotspots. Lastly, political impacts include inadequate law enforcement especially for the fisheries and coastal management, and forestation guidelines are not influential in the protection of b iodiversity hotspots in the Philippines. The impacts develop awareness of the collaboration efforts from WWF, Conservation International-Philippines, the Philippine Eagle Alliance and other conservation organizations which derogate the harm to biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines.