Disaster Management in Fisheries

2.1.12 Habitat Destruction

A habitat is the natural home for an animal or plant. Habitat destruction is when an animal or plant loses its natural home, usually caused by something humans have done. If an animal’s habitat gets destroyed, it might die out. If this happens, it can affect all animals above it on the food chain .

Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the various kinds of plants and animals that live in a particular area. Arctic communities have less biodiversity because of the very few species of animals that live there. Tropical forests, however, have thousands of different animal and plant species, making them the most biodiverse areas on earth. Ecologists use biodiversity as a way of measuring how habitats are affected by land use. All species need specific food and a specific habitat to survive. The more specific these needs, the greater the risk to the species if their habitat changes or is lost.

We humans are a major cause of habitat destruction. While animal populations do not usually rise sharply, the number of human beings on our planet has risen steeply in the last few centuries. This huge increase is putting pressure on natural resources. Our needs are growing, and these needs are often causing habitat destruction. Here are some major causes of habitat destruction