Photo: Pollinators on garlic chives, courtesy Christine Muller
Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment.
by Christine Muller
The rich diversity of plants and animals is our world’s true wealth, which nature provides, and God created in the long and sophisticated process of evolution. This incredible species diversity has provided us with food, shelter, medicines, natural resources, and spiritual inspiration. Sadly, in recent decades, it has been declining alarmingly.
If you are older and can look back a few decades, you may remember seeing numerous large flocks of flying birds, and an abundance of insects–including pollinators such as bees, bumblebees, and butterflies–feasting on wildflowers. If you are younger, you are experiencing the already impoverished world as normal, but scientific reports may also concern you. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) estimates that we have already lost the biomass of half of the world’s plants and of 83% of wild mammals. The IPBES also says that more than a million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction.
The loss of plants and animals–creatures from as big as elephants to as small as microbes in the soil–threatens the very foundation for life. But we can do many things to slow and stop the decline and restore ecosystems where this is still possible. For that, we need to know the underlying causes of the vanishing of plants and animals:
– Historically, the primary reason has been habitat loss, for example, replacing forested lands with big cities and substantial mono-culture fields, which are food deserts for wildlife.
– Another reason is the over-exploitation of species. Here, we may think of overfishing, such as the collapse of cod in the North Atlantic. We may also remember the warning of Bahá’u’lláh in His Book of Laws: Take heed …that ye hunt not to excess. Tread ye the path of justice and equity in all things.
– A third cause is climate change: Many animals move toward the poles to escape warmer temperatures. This works better for some species, such as birds and fish, than for trees. Alpine flowers are moving up the mountains, but when they reach the rocks or tops of the mountains, they become extinct. Plants, animals, and ecosystems have evolved together, and climate change destroys their strong relationships. For example, with earlier spring, the caterpillars, a main food source for some birds, may not be at their peak anymore during nesting season. As the Earth is heating up, climate change will make life conditions increasingly impossible for many species.
– Pollution of all kinds has decimated many species. We may think of chemical pollution and oil spills. And who has not heard of the vast problem of plastic pollution and how birds eat plastic and even feed plastic pieces to their chicks?
– Invasive alien species have become an important cause of the loss of native plants and animals in recent years, and their threat is growing quickly.
Next month, we will continue this conversation by sharing some ideas about what we can and must do to protect the remaining biodiversity of our planet. Now that you know the causes of the vanishing of wild plants and animals, you may have some ideas to share. Let us know your thoughts by sending an email to cmuller@wilmetteinstitute.org.
