Why is central Chile a biodiversity hotspot?

Why is central Chile a biodiversity hotspot?

The Mediterranean ecosystem of Central Chile is considered a global “hotspot” of biodiversity due to its high level of endemism and rapid rate of destruction of its habitats.

What is the percentage of biodiversity loss?

“The Living Planet Index is one of the most comprehensive measures of global biodiversity. An average decline of 68 percent in the past 50 years is catastrophic, and clear evidence of the damage human activity is doing to the natural world,” said Andrew Terry, director of conservation at ZSL.

Where is biodiversity declining the most?

This massive conversion of forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other terrestrial ecosystems has produced a 60 percent decline (on average) in the number of vertebrates worldwide since 1970, with the greatest losses in vertebrate populations occurring in freshwater habitats (83 percent) and in South and Central America ( …

What is the #1 cause of current biodiversity loss?

Habitat destruction is a major cause of biodiversity loss. Habitat loss is caused by deforestation, overpopulation, pollution, and global warming. Species that are physically large and those living in forests or oceans are more affected by habitat reduction.

What is the ecosystem in Chile?

A river in the Valdivian Temperate Rain Forest. Spanning almost 2,700 miles north to south, Chile’s territory includes hot deserts, cold steppes, and tropical forests….Ecological Regions Of Chile.

Ecological Regions of Chile (as per World Wide Fund for Nature) Biome
Arid Puna High Andean Freshwater
Atacama Desert Deserts and Xeric Shrublands

How fast is biodiversity being lost?

We Are to Blame. Human activities have caused the world’s wildlife populations to plummet by more than two-thirds in the last 50 years, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund.

How big is the Tropical Andes hotspot?

1,542,644 km2
The Tropical Andes’ area spans 1,542,644 km2 (595,618 sq mi).

How much biodiversity has been lost in Latin America?

Latin America & the Caribbean have sustained a loss of 94% since 1975. Here, we will guide you through threats each region is facing and give some current examples. Source: WWF Living Planet Report 2020.

What are the major threats to the environment in Chile?

A total of 283 projects were identified from 14 different productive sectors, most of them related to energy and mining, which threaten biodiversity and human well-being mainly due to pollution and habitat destruction. Chilean companies finance most of the projects, but international companies finance over half of the energy and mining projects.

Is the loss of biodiversity at its worst?

The Living Planet Report 2020 (LPR) shows us that global biodiversity loss is at its worst. In order to give better directions for allocating resources, a regional assessment was performed which we will distil for you in this article.

Why are there so many conflicts in Chile?

Mapping of conflict-generating projects and conservation efforts in Chile. There is a dissociation between public policies and biodiversity conservation in Chile. Most environmental conflicts in Chile result from energy generation and mining. Most projects associated with conflicts are financed by Chilean companies.

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