ABSTRACT
Earth’s enriched biological resources are of tremendous value to present and future generations of human beings. But unfortunately, due to various environmental reasons impacted on by human activities and otherwise, ecosystems and species-rich biological diversity are presently under great threat and species extinction continues at an alarming rate. In response, various measures are adopted to protect the biodiversity level. The clearest antecedent is the case of “botanizing” found in the ages of Empire and explorations when the collectors used to collect rare species from overseas. The concepts introduced in the field of science and technology studies (STS) during this time can still be used to examine the complex field of biodiversity (Escobar 1998). Table 2.1 shows the varieties of interactions of different drivers of an ecosystem and their corresponding impacts on the ecosystem. <italic>Table 2.1</italic> Interaction of ecosystem drivers and corresponding impacts https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
Type of region
Climate type
Habitat change
Climate change
Invasive species
Over exploitation
Pollution (nitrogen, phosphorus)
Forest
Boreal
↗
↑
↗
→
↑
Temperate
↘
↑
↑
→
↑
Tropical
↑
↑
↑
↗
↑
Dry land
Temperate grassland
↗
↑
→
→
↑
Mediterranean
↗
↑
↑
→
↑
Tropical grassland and savanna
↗
↑
↑
→
↑
↗
↑
↑
→
↑
Desert
→
↑
→
→
↑
Inland water
↑
↑
↑
→
↑
Coastal
↗
↑
↗
↗
↑
Marine
↑
↑
→
↗
↑
Island
→
↑
→
→
↑
Mountain
→
↑
→
→
↑
Polar
↗
↑
→
↗
↑
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, (2005). Note: Table 2.1 indicates how different drivers for ecosystems and biodiversity affect different types of ecosystems in the world. Direction of the arrows indicates the direction of impacts per se.