ABSTRACT
Humans are an integral part of the biosphere, and as a result, ecosystem degradation can harm human health. This chapter reviews some of the many ways that humans damage ecosystems, and explores solutions to the problems of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Through evolution, species adapt to fill available ecological niches in a mature ecosystem. The interactions of species are generally mutually beneficial and help to keep the ecosystem stable. Indicator species have a trait that indicates the health of the environment. Millennium Development Goal 7, ensure environmental sustainability, sets target 2 as "reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in rate of loss". Biomes most at risk for biodiversity loss include Mediterranean climate and grasslands. Human impacts in marine environment are greatest along shorelines and in estuaries, where populations have declined for >90" of species and >65" of wetland and sea grass habitats have been destroyed. Wildlife conservation to preserve biodiversity is essential to sustainability.
