Supporting biodiversity starts with awareness, respect, and awe
The biodiversity of life interacts in complex ways. As there is such little we know, we can’t fully comprehend how intertwined all life forms are. All we know is that there is a delicate balance and every living organism has an effect on the world, especially human activities. Biodiversity is being threatened by unsustainable agricultural practices, pollution, habitat fragmentation, urbanisation, climate change and over-exploitation of our natural resources.
Although there are many ways to support biodiversity, awareness is our first step in supporting biodiversity. Becoming aware of threats to nature and the impact extinction has on ecosystems can motivate us to change our behaviour. As Eckhart Tolle says,
“Awareness is the greatest agent for change”.
THE STORY OF SAM, THE SEA OTTER
I want to start with a story about Sam, the sea otter. Despite being adorable and cute, Sam actually plays a huge role in the balance of marine ecosystems. Have you ever seen a Giant Kelp Forest? Giant Kelp Forests are majestic underwater forests with incredibly tall seaweeds that grow up to 35m from the bottom of the ocean. They provide food and shelter to a variety of other species including, fish, rock lobster and abalone. Unfortunately Giant Kelp Forests are incredibly vulnerable with parts of the ocean losing 98% of their Giant kelp Forests, as is the case in Eastern Tasmania.
Now, Sam, the very cute sea otter and his friends love to eat. Their favourite food are sea urchins which they crack open and eat the meat inside of the protective shell. Sea otters are an endangered species and their numbers are decreasing due to a variety of factors including hunting, fishing, entanglements in fishing gear, invasive species, climate change, and pollution.
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
When sea otters are low or absent from Giant Kelp Forests, there is a huge butterfly effect on the entire ecosystem. Without sea otters eating the sea urchins, sea urchins grow abundant and start to eat the Giant Kelp at their base. The Giant Kelp then become untethered and float away – essentially becoming de-forested. With the reduction in the Giant Kelp Forests, there is a reduction of other life that relies on the kelp for either food or shelter. The Giant Kelp Forests are then transformed into sea urchin barrens with abundant numbers of sea urchins and little biodiversity.
Giant Kelp Forests capture huge amounts of Carbon, so when we lose them, we also lose a carbon sink. When kelp dies, it releases its Carbon back into the ocean. This leads to acidification and warming of the seas which impacts aquatic life. When sea otters are present, it has been found that the amount of carbon held in kelp can be up to 13 times more. So, with the loss of just one important species, whole ecosystems are lost or transformed into less diverse ecosystems.
INVISIBLE BIODIVERSITY
Beside the cute and cuddly mammals we all know and love, there is also so much biodiversity we don’t even know about such as bacteria in soil. It’s estimated that in 1 gram of soil there are between 6400-38000 species. Now, if soil is eroded, it can take up to 1000yrs to reproduce 2-3cm of soil. With 33% of the Earth’s soil already degraded and an estimate that this could be as high as 90% by 2050, caring for our soil, is of vital importance. We are also losing our bacterial diversity within our stomach and even facing extinctions of gut bacteria which are causing all sorts of health ailments such as obesity, exema, IBS, leaky gut syndrome, anxiety and depression.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Although there are many conservations actions we can take to support biodiversity, becoming aware of the plight of biodiversity on our planet is the first step to supporting biodiversity. Supporting nature can be as simple as building awareness, respect and awe. Building a better personal relationship to nature is a simple thing you can do right now, no matter where you live. As Rumi, a 13th Century poet said,
“Yesterday I was so clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY BY BUILDING AWARENESS, RESPECT AND AWE
Next time you are walking, even if it’s in the middle of a city, notice the biodiversity that you can see. Sit with a tree or plant. Notice the amount of life that lives on that tree. Be thankful for the shade it provides, the filtering of air it provides, the carbon it is securing. Notice a spider and how it effortlessly weaves its web. See the soil beneath your feet and imagine the millions of micro lifeforms that are helping to sustain life.
“Awe is the salve that will heal our lives.”
~ RUMI ~
When we become aware and give nature our respect and sit in awe of it, we build better relationships to nature. Being in conscious connection with nature shifts how we live and allows us to make healthier choices for both ourselves and the planet.
Peace,
Emma
About the Author
Emma Hawthorne is a professional performer of 15 years, a linguistics graduate from Sydney University and currently studying a Masters in Conservation Biology at the University of Queensland. She aims to help people connect to nature, creativity and wellbeing.
