Other Causes of Extinction
In addition to habitat destruction, other human-caused problems are also threatening many species. These include issues associated with climate change, pollution, and over-population.
Habitat Destruction
Your habitat can be altered, and you can easily adapt. Most people live in a few different places and go to a number of different schools throughout their life. But a plant or animal may not be able to adapt to a changed habitat.
Humans often destroy the habitats of other organisms. Habitat destruction can cause the extinction of species.
Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species. Once a species is extinct, it can never recover.
Invasive Species
As we have learned earlier in the unit, invasive or non-native species can also change an ecosystem.
When invasive species enter an ecosystem they change that ecosystem's dynamic and cause a disruption to the flow.
Climax Community
A climax community is the end result of ecological succession. The climax community is a stable balance of all organisms in an ecosystem, and will remain stable unless a disaster strikes.
Human Activity
It's important to note that human activity has the greatest impact on the amount and quality of wildlife habitat in many areas of the world. Wildlife habitat can be destroyed or its quality diminished as a result of urban growth, agricultural practices, pollution, or habitat destruction.
People can also have a positive impact on wildlife populations through improvement and protection of habitat or ecosystems. Planting trees and shrubs and providing sources of food and water in individual yards is one way people can help wildlife.
