Biodiversity Ireland
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A rainforest is an area of tall, mostly evergreen trees and a high amount of rainfall. Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. They are incredibly diverse and complex, home to more than half of the world’s plant and animal species—even though they cover just 6% of Earth’s surface. This makes rainforests astoundingly dense with flora and fauna. Rainforests’ rich biodiversity is incredibly important to our well-being and the well-being of our planet.
Le Râle d'eau est un oiseau des marécages.
The Water Rail is a marsh bird.
El Water Rail es un ave de los pantanos.
Depuis très longtemps je rêvais de pouvoir le prendre en photo... On l'entend facilement mais pour le voir c'est très difficile. Il se cache le plus souvent dans les feuillages des grands arbres.
For a very long time I dreamed of being able to take a picture of it ... You can hear it easily but to see it is very difficult. It hides most often in the foliage of large trees.
Gorumara National Park in West Bengal is known for its rich biodiversity, and spotting a wild peacock is a spectacular sight. The vibrant plumage of peacocks adds such a burst of color to the forest.
Dalle parti di Roana, Asiago, il bosco si tinge di vari colori, che si mescolano con armonia in questo periodo d'autunno
Foto scattata con il mio drone
Buona giornata
#drone #alberi #trees #asiago #roana #biodiversity #aerial #fly #float #autunno #pines #abeti #foliage #leaves #veneto
Samburu National Reserve has some unique species. Its zebra's marks do not close at the belly, or at the butt, unlike those at other reserves a hundred miles away in Kenya or other places. (Check the other 2 in the series)
This is not a great shot in terms of detail, but I post it because it shows the great biodiversity of the brazilian Pantanal. Only in a small pond like this one, we can see, at least, nine bird species, beyond the capybaras, and the water was an authentic caiman soup! See large, if you can :)
Pantanal - Mato Grosso - Brasil
Some impressions of a walk through the forest near my home: Small Gold Grashopper (Euthystira brachyptera)
Closeup of a blooming poppy among other flowering wild plants on the side of a country road. The photo was taken on a spring day just after a heavy rain shower. Small water droplets are still visible.
© All of my photos are unconditional copyrighted unless explicitly stated otherwise. Therefore it is legally forbidden to use my pictures on websites, in commercial and/or editorial prints or in other media without my explicit permission.
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Centro nazionale di biodiversità carabinieri di bosco fontana.
Palazzina gonzaghesca di Bosco Fontana
Venne edificata alla fine del Cinquecento dall'architetto Giuseppe Dattaro, prefetto delle costruzioni gonzaghesche, su commissione del duca di Mantova Vincenzo I Gonzaga e destinata a "Casa di caccia". Costruita su modello della pianta del parigino chateau de Boulogne (1527), presenta ai quattro angoli altrettante torrette. Sul lato maggiore spicca una grande loggia a tre archi, sormontata da timpano. A seguito della destituzione di Dattaro, la costruzione venne portata a termine dal suo successore, Antonio Maria Viani, che la cinse di ampio fossato.
L'edificio ha subito, nel corso degli anni, opere di consolidamento e manutenzione.
Si trova all'interno della Riserva naturale Bosco Fontana, di proprietà del centro nazionale di biodiversità carabinieri di bosco fontana. Dal 1921 è stata dichiarata monumento nazionale [1]
The Female Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) captured at The Lost City of Falan in Tolima, Colombia, is an exquisite example of avian beauty in her natural habitat. This shot features her perched gracefully on a branch, her subtle brown plumage blending harmoniously with the lush green foliage. The soft, diffused light highlights the intricate feather details, adding depth and texture to the image. Achieving this shot was particularly challenging as she was actively engaging in "leap display," a behavior where she jumps up and down on a branch to establish territory and attract mates. This required a shutter speed of 1/60 and an ISO of 3200 to capture sufficient light without motion blur.
From a technical perspective, the low light conditions and her dynamic behavior posed significant challenges. The high ISO setting was crucial to ensure her delicate details were well-defined despite the dim lighting. The shallow depth of field isolates her from the background, emphasizing the Grassquit's intricate plumage. This image exemplifies the meticulous approach needed to capture wildlife in its most natural and undisturbed state, reflecting my commitment to conservation photography. The balance of light and shadow in this composition speaks to the serene and hidden beauty of the forest environment.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
Surrounding flora frames the eco lake and sunset with glimpse of towers in the background. Singapore's vision to be a "City in a Garden" aims for the entire city to be nestled in a garden of rich biodiversity, pervasive greenery and individual ownership.
la Nebbia - sospinta dal Vento - veniva riflessa dall' imperturbata Acqua del Lago...
che idillio in quelle ore trascorse sulle sue sponde!
avvertivo una Silenziosa e pacifica convivenza con la Natura circostante.
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Dietro ogni scatto ci sono sempre fatiche e attese!
Zaino carico e pesante (quasi sempre) e, quando trasporti la Fotocamera con obiettivo, la Sera avverti un dolore al collo...
Ma le Passioni, è noto, comportano sempre sacrifici!
In Natura non esistono malintesi esistono solo in ciò che l'uomo chiama ragione!
ProteggiAMO tutto questo!
PreoccupiAMOci della Natura il nostro futuro dipende da essa!
Osservare tutto questo è un dono, innAMÒRarsene una ricchezza!
Anche su:
e su JuzaPhoto
www.juzaphoto.com/me.php?p=5040&pg=allphotos&srt=...
________________________________________________
Prendetevi del tempo per Sognare, ogni scatto racconta una lunga storia...
Washi
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Meravigliosa Natura!
Privilèges de Montagne...
Inn AMÒR ati della NATURA anche tu!
Il mio tempo in Montagna!
www.facebook.com/WashiInPuntadiPiedi
La Vallée d'Aoste à ma guise - La Valle d'Aosta a modo mio - Aosta Valley in my own way
Vivre en Montagne, au quotidien, pour satisfaire la Curiosité de la Photographie de la Nature...
Valle d'Aosta - Vallée d'Aoste
(Une Montagne d'émotions...)
Clickalps Photography - Troise Carmine - Washi
I miei Video amatoriali su:
www.youtube.com/user/Washi59/videos
www.linkedin.com/in/troisecarminewashi?trk=nav_responsive...
se
Fotocamere:
Canon 5D Mark lV
Obiettivi:
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM II
Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Treppiede Manfrotto 190 X Prob
Testa Manfrotto a sfera compact nera con attacco rapido 496RC2 con frizione
Piastra a sgancio rapido 200PL
Telecomando infrarossi Canon RC-6
Telecomando Rollei Schermo LCD e Retroilluminazione
in Ombra insieme al Branco...
Raccolgo solo candide e pure Emozioni!
Follow me
www.instagram.com/troise_carmine_washi/
Dietro ogni scatto ci sono sempre fatiche e attese!
Zaino carico e pesante (quasi sempre) e, quando trasporti la Fotocamera con obiettivo, la Sera avverti un dolore al collo...
Ma le Passioni, è noto, comportano sempre sacrifici!
In Natura non esistono malintesi esistono solo in ciò che l'uomo chiama ragione!
ProteggiAMO tutto questo!
PreoccupiAMOci della Natura il nostro futuro dipende da essa!
Osservare tutto questo è un dono, innAMÒRarsene una ricchezza!
Anche su:
e su JuzaPhoto
www.juzaphoto.com/me.php?p=5040&pg=allphotos&srt=...
________________________________________________
Prendetevi del tempo per Sognare, ogni scatto racconta una lunga storia...
Washi
________________________________________________
Meravigliosa Natura!
Privilèges de Montagne...
Inn AMÒR ati della NATURA anche tu!
Il mio tempo in Montagna!
www.facebook.com/WashiInPuntadiPiedi
La Vallée d'Aoste à ma guise - La Valle d'Aosta a modo mio - Aosta Valley in my own way
Vivre en Montagne, au quotidien, pour satisfaire la Curiosité de la Photographie de la Nature...
Valle d'Aosta - Vallée d'Aoste
(Une Montagne d'émotions...)
Clickalps Photography - Troise Carmine - Washi
I miei Video amatoriali su:
www.youtube.com/user/Washi59/videos
www.linkedin.com/in/troisecarminewashi?trk=nav_responsive...
se
Fotocamere:
Canon 5D Mark lV
Obiettivi:
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM II
Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Treppiede Manfrotto 190 X Prob
Testa Manfrotto a sfera compact nera con attacco rapido 496RC2 con frizione
Piastra a sgancio rapido 200PL
Telecomando infrarossi Canon RC-6
Telecomando Rollei Schermo LCD e Retroilluminazione
Biodiversity hotspot Kalakadu Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu India, known more for its waters on which lakhs of population of Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin is dependent. . .
THE SIXTH EXTINCTION
Exerpts by Niles Eldredge
There is little doubt left in the minds of professional biologists that Earth is currently faced with a mounting loss of species that threatens to rival the five great mass extinctions of the geological past. As long ago as 1993, Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson estimated that Earth is currently losing something on the order of 30,000 species per year — which breaks down to the even more daunting statistic of some three species per hour. Some biologists have begun to feel that this biodiversity crisis — this “Sixth Extinction” — is even more severe, and more imminent, than Wilson had supposed.
Extinction in the past
The major global biotic turnovers were all caused by physical events that lay outside the normal climatic and other physical disturbances which species, and entire ecosystems, experience and survive. What caused them?
The previous mass extinctions were due to natural causes.
First major extinction (c. 440 mya): Climate change (relatively severe and sudden global cooling) seems to have been at work at the first of these-the end-Ordovician mass extinction that caused such pronounced change in marine life (little or no life existed on land at that time). 25% of families lost (a family may consist of a few to thousands of species).
Second major extinction (c. 370 mya): The next such event, near the end of the Devonian Period, may or may not have been the result of global climate change. 19% of families lost.
Third major Extinction (c. 245 mya): Scenarios explaining what happened at the greatest mass extinction event of them all (so far, at least!) at the end of the Permian Period have been complex amalgams of climate change perhaps rooted in plate tectonics movements. Very recently, however, evidence suggests that a bolide impact similar to the end-Cretaceous event may have been the cause. 54% of families lost.
Fourth major extinction (c. 210 mya): The event at the end of the Triassic Period, shortly after dinosaurs and mammals had first evolved, also remains difficult to pin down in terms of precise causes. 23% of families lost.
Fifth major extinction (c. 65 mya): Most famous, perhaps, was the most recent of these events at the end-Cretaceous. It wiped out the remaining terrestrial dinosaurs and marine ammonites, as well as many other species across the phylogenetic spectrum, in all habitats sampled from the fossil record. Consensus has emerged in the past decade that this event was caused by one (possibly multiple) collisions between Earth and an extraterrestrial bolide (probably cometary). Some geologists, however, point to the great volcanic event that produced the Deccan traps of India as part of the chain of physical events that disrupted ecosystems so severely that many species on land and sea rapidly succumbed to extinction. 17% of families lost.
How is The Sixth Extinction different from previous events?
The current mass extinction is caused by humans.
At first glance, the physically caused extinction events of the past might seem to have little or nothing to tell us about the current Sixth Extinction, which is a patently human-caused event. For there is little doubt that humans are the direct cause of ecosystem stress and species destruction in the modern world through such activities as:
-transformation of the landscape
-overexploitation of species
-pollution
-the introduction of alien species
And, because Homo sapiens is clearly a species of animal (however behaviorally and ecologically peculiar an animal), the Sixth Extinction would seem to be the first recorded global extinction event that has a biotic, rather than a physical, cause.
We are bringing about massive changes in the environment.
Yet, upon further reflection, human impact on the planet is a direct analogue of the Cretaceous cometary collision. Sixty-five million years ago that extraterrestrial impact — through its sheer explosive power, followed immediately by its injections of so much debris into the upper reaches of the atmosphere that global temperatures plummeted and, most critically, photosynthesis was severely inhibited — wreaked havoc on the living systems of Earth. That is precisely what human beings are doing to the planet right now: humans are causing vast physical changes on the planet.
What is the Sixth Extinction?
We can divide the Sixth Extinction into two discrete phases:
-Phase One began when the first modern humans began to disperse to different parts of the world about 100,000 years ago.
-Phase Two began about 10,000 years ago when humans turned to agriculture.
Humans began disrupting the environment as soon as they appeared on Earth.
The first phase began shortly after Homo sapiens evolved in Africa and the anatomically modern humans began migrating out of Africa and spreading throughout the world. Humans reached the middle east 90,000 years ago. They were in Europe starting around 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals, who had long lived in Europe, survived our arrival for less than 10,000 years, but then abruptly disappeared — victims, according to many paleoanthropologists, of our arrival through outright warfare or the more subtle, though potentially no less devastating effects, of being on the losing side of ecological competition.
Everywhere, shortly after modern humans arrived, many (especially, though by no means exclusively, the larger) native species typically became extinct. Humans were like bulls in a China shop:
-They disrupted ecosystems by overhunting game species, which never experienced contact with humans before.
-And perhaps they spread microbial disease-causing organisms as well.
The fossil record attests to human destruction of ecosystems:
-Wherever early humans migrated, other species became extinct.
-Humans arrived in large numbers in North America roughly 12,500 years ago-and sites revealing the butchering of mammoths, mastodons and extinct buffalo are well documented throughout the continent. The demise of the bulk of the La Brea tar pit Pleistocene fauna coincided with our arrival.
-The Caribbean lost several of its larger species when humans arrived some 8000 years ago.
-Extinction struck elements of the Australian megafauna much earlier-when humans arrived some 40,000 years ago. Madagascar-something of an anomaly, as humans only arrived there two thousand years ago-also fits the pattern well: the larger species (elephant birds, a species of hippo, plus larger lemurs) rapidly disappeared soon after humans arrived.
Indeed, only in places where earlier hominid species had lived (Africa, of course, but also most of Europe and Asia) did the fauna, already adapted to hominid presence, survive the first wave of the Sixth Extinction pretty much intact. The rest of the world’s species, which had never before encountered hominids in their local ecosystems, were as naively unwary as all but the most recently arrived species (such as Vermilion Flycatchers) of the Galapagos Islands remain to this day.
Why does the Sixth Extinction continue?
The invention of agriculture accelerated the pace of the Sixth Extinction.
Phase two of the Sixth Extinction began around 10,000 years ago with the invention of agriculture-perhaps first in the Natufian culture of the Middle East. Agriculture appears to have been invented several different times in various different places, and has, in the intervening years, spread around the entire globe.
Agriculture represents the single most profound ecological change in the entire 3.5 billion-year history of life. With its invention:
-Humans did not have to interact with other species for survival, and so could manipulate other species for their own use
-Humans did not have to adhere to the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, and so could overpopulate
-Humans do not live with nature but outside it.
Homo sapiens became the first species to stop living inside local ecosystems. All other species, including our ancestral hominid ancestors, all pre-agricultural humans, and remnant hunter-gatherer societies still extant exist as semi-isolated populations playing specific roles (i.e., have “niches”) in local ecosystems. This is not so with post-agricultural revolution humans, who in effect have stepped outside local ecosystems. Indeed, to develop agriculture is essentially to declare war on ecosystems - converting land to produce one or two food crops, with all other native plant species all now classified as unwanted “weeds” — and all but a few domesticated species of animals now considered as pests.
The total number of organisms within a species is limited by many factors-most crucial of which is the “carrying capacity” of the local ecosystem: given the energetic needs and energy-procuring adaptations of a given species, there are only so many squirrels, oak trees and hawks that can inhabit a given stretch of habitat. Agriculture had the effect of removing the natural local-ecosystem upper limit of the size of human populations. Though crops still fail regularly, and famine and disease still stalk the land, there is no doubt that agriculture in the main has had an enormous impact on human population size:
-Earth can’t sustain the trend in human population growth. It is reaching its limit in carrying capacity.
-Estimates vary, but range between 1 and 10 million people on earth 10,000 years ago.
-There are now over 6 billion people.
-The numbers continue to increase logarithmically — so that there will be 8 billion by 2020.
-There is presumably an upper limit to the carrying capacity of humans on earth — of the numbers that agriculture can support — and that number is usually estimated at between 13-15 billion, though some people think the ultimate numbers might be much higher.
This explosion of human population, especially in the post-Industrial Revolution years of the past two centuries, coupled with the unequal distribution and consumption of wealth on the planet, is the underlying cause of the Sixth Extinction. There is a vicious cycle:
-Overpopulation, invasive species, and overexploitation are fueling the extinction.
-More lands are cleared and more efficient production techniques (most recently engendered largely through genetic engineering) to feed the growing number of humans — and in response, the human population continues to expand.
-Higher fossil energy use is helping agriculture spread, further modifying the environment.
-Humans continue to fish (12 of the 13 major fisheries on the planet are now considered severely depleted) and harvest timber for building materials and just plain fuel, pollution, and soil erosion from agriculture creates dead zones in fisheries (as in the Gulf of Mexico)
-While the human Diaspora has meant the spread, as well, of alien species that more often than not thrive at the detriment of native species. For example, invasive species have contributed to 42% of all threatened and endangered species in the U.S.
Can conservation measures stop the Sixth Extinction?
Only 10% of the world’s species survived the third mass extinction. Will any survive this one?
The world’s ecosystems have been plunged into chaos, with some conservation biologists thinking that no system, not even the vast oceans, remains untouched by human presence. Conservation measures, sustainable development, and, ultimately, stabilization of human population numbers and consumption patterns seem to offer some hope that the Sixth Extinction will not develop to the extent of the third global extinction, some 245 mya, when 90% of the world’s species were lost.
Though it is true that life, so incredibly resilient, has always recovered (though after long lags) after major extinction spasms, it is only after whatever has caused the extinction event has dissipated. That cause, in the case of the Sixth Extinction, is ourselves — Homo sapiens. This means we can continue on the path to our own extinction, or, preferably, we modify our behavior toward the global ecosystem of which we are still very much a part. The latter must happen before the Sixth Extinction can be declared over, and life can once again rebound.
© 2005, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact editor@actionbioscience.org for reprint permission. See reprint policy.
Paleontologist Dr. Niles Eldredge is the Curator-in-Chief of the permanent exhibition “Hall of Biodiversity” at the American Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at the City University of New York. He has devoted his career to examining evolutionary theory through the fossil record, publishing his views in more than 160 scientific articles, reviews, and books. Life in the Balance: Humanity and the Biodiversity Crisisis his most recent book.
www.gc.cuny.edu/directories/faculty/E.htm
Articles and Resources on The Sixth Extinction
Consequences of the Sixth Extinction
The article “How Will Sixth Extinction Affect Evolution of Species?,” on our site, describes how the current loss of biodiversity will affect evolution in the long run.
www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/myers_knoll.html
BioScience Article
“Global Conservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.”
Habitat destruction has driven much of the current biodiversity extinction crisis, and it compromises the essential benefits, or ecosystem services that humans derive from functioning ecosystems. Securing both species and ecosystem services might be accomplished with common solutions. Yet it is unknown whether these two major conservation objectives coincide broadly enough worldwide to enable global strategies for both goals to gain synergy. In this November 2007, BioScience article, Will Turner and his colleagues assess the concordance between these two objectives, explore how the concordance varies across different regions, and examine the global potential for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services simultaneously. Read the abstract, or log in to purchase the full article.
caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1641/B571009
Biodiversity in the next millennium
American Museum of Natural History’s nationwide survey (undated) “reveals biodiversity crisis — the fastest mass extinction in Earth’s history.”
cbc.amnh.org/crisis/mncntnt.html
National Geographic
A 2/99 article about the Sixth Extinction, with views from several leading scientists.
www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/9902/fngm/index.html
Extinction through time
Find out about cycles of life and death and extinction patterns through time.
www.carleton.ca/Museum/extinction/tablecont.html
Is Humanity Suicidal?
Edward O. Wilson asks us why we stay on the course to our own self-destruction.
www.well.com/user/davidu/suicidal.html
A Field Guide to the Sixth Extinction
Niles Eldredge writes in 1999 about a few of the millions of plants and animals that won’t make it to the next millennium. The second link takes you to the site’s main page, entitled “Mass Extinction Underway — The World Wide Web’s most comprehensive source of information on the current mass extinction,” which provides links to numerous other resources.
www.well.com/user/davidu/fieldguide.html
www.well.com/user/davidu/extinction.html
Global Environment Outlook 3
The United Nations Environment Programme released this major report in May 2002. The report collated the thoughts of more than 1,000 contributors to assess the environmental impact of the last 30 years and outline policy ideas for the next three decades. It concluded that without action, the world may experience severe environmental problems within 30 years. The entire report can be read online or purchased online.
www.unep.org/geo/geo3/index.htm
Test your environmental knowledge
A 1999 survey showed that only one in three adult Americans had a passing understanding of the most pressing environmental issues. How do you measure up? Explanatory answers provided.
www.youthactionnet.org/quizzes/global_environment.cfm
World Atlas of Biodiversity — interactive map
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the firstWorld Atlas of Biodiversityin August 2002. This link takes you to their online interactive map that helps you search for data about species/land/water loss, extinction over time, and human global development. Click on the “?” for a help page that explains how to interact with this map.
stort.unep-wcmc.org/imaps/gb2002/book/viewer.htm
The Sixth Great Extinction: A Status Report
Earth Policy Institute’s 2004 update on the status of loss of biodiversity.
www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm
Books
» The Biodiversity Crisis: Losing What Countsby The American Museum of Natural History (New Press, 2001).
» The Sixth Extinction: Patterns of of Life and the Future of Humankindby Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin (Doubleday and Company, 1996).
Get Involved
The Biodiversity Project
You can choose a way to get involved in protecting biodiversity — from educational resources to community outreach.
www.biodiversityproject.org/html/resources/introduction.htm
The Nature Conservancy
Select a state from the menu and find out how you can become an environmental volunteer in that state.
Information for Action
“This website explains the environmental problems & offers solutions to fix them. There are many valuable resources available” including lobbying info, contacts database, & news updates.
Harmony
“Harmony Foundation is all about education for the environment. We offer publications and programs… ‘Building Sustainable Societies’ offers innovative training for educators and community group leaders to support local action on important environmental issues.”
Earth Talk: Environmental advocacy for professionals
This discussion community and learning network seeks to contribute to global ecological sustainability by enabling communication connections between those working on behalf of forests, water, and climate.
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Tiger Illustration by Dorothy Lathrop from
"Fierce-Face: The story of a tiger" by Dhan Gopal Mukerji (1936)
Praia da Calada is a beautiful beach located between steep cliffs on the Portuguese coast road, 10 km North from Ericeira, just north of Ribeira D'Ilhas another beautiful location and a favorite for surfers!
As we rebound from our recent "tiny false winter", a brief glimpse of how October usually looks. Sagebrush, willow, goldenrod, and wild licorice are among the many plants visible in this small patch of wild prairie. A tripod allowed me to stop the wide angle lens down for maximum depth of field, and the overcast day softened the colours. There's an old saying among photographers that remains good advice: "If the sky is white, crop it tight." (Not a "rule"; merely a suggestion...) In this situation, I decided to crop it out entirely.
An old deer trail leads past this spot, up into the hills. The modern prairie is mostly fenced off with barbed wire, and very little of it remains in its natural state. Monoculture is where the money is at. We see endless fields of wheat, mustard, flax, oats, barley, chick peas, canola. Pesticides are applied generously. Biodiversity falls apart. In this place, beyond the limits of my framing, there are no fences. The wild prairie goes on and on for miles.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2018 James R. Page - all rights reserved.