Weekly Blog #3 Biodiversity

 This week’s topic on sustaining biodiversity honestly made me realize how serious species extinction is. I didn’t really think about how fast extinction is happening compared to natural background rates, but in class, learning that species are disappearing much faster because of human activities really stood out to me. It made me think about how everyday things like building cities, farming, and resource use can directly impact habitats and all the different animals living there. 

Learning about HIPPCO (habitat loss, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation) helped me understand that biodiversity loss isn’t just caused by just one issue, but rather it's a combination of many different connected problems. I also found it interesting that invasive species cause major environmental and economic damage, which shows this issue affects more than just wildlife.

Growing up in California, I’ve heard about endangered species like the California condor, but I never really understood the laws protecting them until now. This week made me reflect on how small actions, like being careful about introducing nonnative species, can actually make a difference. I have noticed that I have been looking more at my own life and seeing small things I can do to reduce my own impact on the environment, and this week had a great affect on me personally from what I have learned. 


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