Human impacts on biodiversity

Deforestation 1990

Deforestation of Brazilian rainforest in 1990, taken by satelite. © PlanetObserver / The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.
Deforestation 2000

Deforestation of Brazilian rainforest in 2000, taken by satelite. © PlanetObserver / The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.

Museum scientists

Professor Andy Purvis

Dr Adriana De Palma

Sara Contu

Project

We are modelling the response of biodiversity to environmental changes caused by human activity

Human activities are causing major changes in biological communities worldwide.

These changes can harm biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Ecosystem function is important for supporting plant and animal communities and ensuring our long-term survival.

The main threats facing biodiversity globally are:

Destruction, degradation and fragmentation of habitats, or homes, for plants animals and fungi.
Reduction of the ability of life to survive and reproduce because of exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species.

Species do not all respond equally to these threats. Declines in species often reflect the relationships between species and ecological patterns.

PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems)

A Museum project called PREDICTS is investigating how local biodiversity responds to human pressures such as land-use change, pollution, invasive species and infrastructure.

As part of this project, you can search how biodiversity has changed where you live through the Biodiversity Trends Explorer. This change is given as the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII).