leonardo – Biology and Environmental Conservation

CONSERVATION HOTSPOTS HAVE VERY LOW PROTECTION

Posted on November 10, 2022by leonardo

CONSERVATION HOTSPOTS HAVE VERY LOW PROTECTION

Our world is vast. Today the planet earth is home to so many varieties of soil, vegetation and animal species that it is hard to believe… that little by little mankind, with its irresponsible activities and habits, is destroying it all.

To address this situation, various professional groups, researchers and other experts developed the concept of “Conservation Hotspots”. As applied in geology, “hotspots” are areas of particular interest. In the field of environmental conservation, this interest derives from the immense amount of biodiversity that these hotspots harbour.

THE FIRST MAJOR GLOBAL ESTIMATE

We owe the concept of “conservation hotspots” to professional research work led by IRNAS-CSIC, better known as the Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of the Spanish National Research Council pornos).

To carry out the study, it was necessary to analyse just over 10,000 observational exercises of continuous biodiversity in a wide variety of animal and plant ecosystems, as well as approximately 615 different soil types.
For their assessment, the scientists used the following criteria:

The richness of each living animal or plant.
The uniqueness of each of them.
The interaction with ecosystems.

The study revealed, among other things, a very interesting key fact: each type of soil, due to its particular characteristics, offers a greater conservation ecosystem to different animal or plant species. For example:

Temperate ecosystems have a lot of areal biodiversity.
Arid and tropical ecosystems harbour greater soil biodiversity.

This is why determining general guidelines for the conservation of these areas is so challenging.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HOTSPOTS?

With this main constraint in mind, and by contrasting the study with reality, it was concluded that the “conservation hotspots” are not receiving the level of care they require globally to ensure the survival of biodiversity.

The experts point out that, when delimiting “conservation areas” or natural spaces protected by the State, not all of the variables mentioned above are being taken into account, making the guidelines for selecting and establishing conservation norms not adapted to real needs.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HOTSPOTS?

Manuel Delgado, leader of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning Laboratory at IRNAS-CSIC, affirms that the State has not been very interested in these differentiations either, delimiting spaces and measures that protect animal and plant diversity, without taking into account the soil itself and all its variants.

This is largely due to the current widespread ignorance we have of soil as such and its impact on ecosystems, despite the fact that we practically eat, breathe and exist indirectly thanks to them.

Ana Rey, a leading scientist on the team, also points to the need to be able to preserve soils by making the proper delimitation by type, understanding that each plays a fundamental role in human survival. After all, most soils are exposed not only to natural factors. But also to climate change and human intervention.

What do you think about this issue, and do you think that governments have not made the necessary effort to ensure the conservation of our planet’s biodiversity?

General

BIODIVERSITY ALERT RENEWED: ARE WE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION?

Posted on October 17, 2022by leonardo

BIODIVERSITY ALERT RENEWED: ARE WE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION?

According to scientists and researchers Pedro Cermeño and Carmen García-Comas Rubio, there are an estimated 8.7 million species of living organisms on Earth, the largest number in history. But at the same time, biodiversity on our planet has never been so threatened.

So far, as far as we know, five mass extinctions have occurred on Earth. The most likely reasons were increased volcanic activity (due to the accumulation of radioactive energy within the planet), as well as the impact of extraterrestrial bodies (the famous meteorite).

Today, 250 million years after the last mass extinction, and according to the scientists mentioned above, we are closer than ever to a sixth one. However, this time the cause would be directly related to human activity, which has altered and continues to alter the ecosystems of our planet.

WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Biodiversity, in simple terms, refers to the variety of living organisms that exist and have existed on our planet, as well as their interaction with the environment and ecosystems. It can also include the genetic diversity that exists between species.

Although humans have dedicated ourselves to studying nature, we still do not know all the species found on the planet and how they relate to each other and to us. Therefore, preserving all forms of life is of vital importance for the Earth’s balance and our survival.

WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Dr Aníbal Pouchard, founder of the Biological Invasions Laboratory (LIB) at the University of Concepción in Chile, believes that although we tend to focus on endangered mammals, “we are also losing insects, bacteria and fungi, which can be very useful to humans and we don’t know what we are losing,” he told TVU in an interview.

READ MORE: “BIODIVERSITY: TOWARDS A WHOLE PLANET”

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), approximately 5,200 species of animals are currently threatened with extinction. According to National Geographic, this represents 20% of the more than 7.7 million animal species xnxx. And that’s not counting other living organisms, such as plants.

ANTHROPOCENE, THE NEW GEOLOGICAL ERA MARKED BY HUMANS

Throughout Earth’s history, our planet has experienced several eras, with drastic changes in climate leading to the disappearance of life forms and the emergence of new ones. However, these changes have been accelerated by human activity.

To define these changes, the Dutch scientist Paul Crutzen, winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry, coined the concept “anthropocene”, which would define the geological era marked by changes resulting from human activity.

The greatest impact is estimated to have occurred in the last 100 years, although others consider this to be a product of World War II and the use of nuclear bombs. For Dr. Pauchard, the biggest impact is the invention of plastic, which we use for basically everything and is a material that does not degrade easily.

ANTHROPOCENE, THE NEW GEOLOGICAL ERA MARKED BY HUMANS

The global effect of economic activity, especially the use of fossil fuels, is being felt. Especially with the most recent extreme weather (heat waves) and phenomena such as hurricanes, and more frequent storms. “A generalised increase in temperature translates into an increase of energy in the atmosphere (leading to) catastrophic phenomena,” says Dr Pauchard.

So what can we do? The answer is clear: public policies that support environmental protection are needed, as well as individual changes that do have an important impact. In addition to pressure from countries to accelerate a Sustainable Agenda for 2030, each of us has to make changes that, as Dr Pauchard explains, will not only save the planet, but also improve our quality of life.

General

The Impact of Technology in Children with Autism

Posted on March 28, 2022by leonardo

The Impact of Technology in Children with Autism

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience symptoms that range from mild to severe. However, there are common characteristics shared by individuals with autism. They have difficulties with communication and social interactions and have a narrow scope of interests. They also show repetitive behavioral patterns and can become anxious if routines are disturbed. Management of autism should start at an early age by combining different strategies to suit the child’s needs with ASD.

Evidence has it that technology can come in handy for children with autism spectrum. Today, technology is everywhere and very accessible porno français, and parents and autistic children should make maximum use of technology. Below are some impacts technology has on the lives of children with autism.

Improved Communication

Technology can help bolster augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in children with autism. A significant percentage of children with ASD are minimally verbal. Despite the challenge, these children have the need and desire to communicate their needs. AAC devices and mobile apps can help children with ASD interact in a manner that engages their favorite style of communication. These technologies can lower the events that can trigger the child to show agitation because the physical expression is rooted in the child’s perceived inability to have their needs understood.

Modeling Behavior

The Impact of Technology in Children with Autism

Children with ASD often experience more difficulty with novel activities that other children handle easily. They may fail to know how to conduct themselves in new situations. With technology, parents can model their children’s steps into new activities or environments. This can boost the child’s confidence and lower the feelings of anxiety. For example, if a child is preparing for a first airplane ride, technology can assist them in having a better understanding of the entire process.

Scheduling Skills

Thanks to technology, various scheduling apps for children with ASD are available. These mobile apps provide tasks in a sequential manner to aid the child to complete tasks and work on essential life skills, including self-care and daily living. Due to special considerations, the apps are designed to be visual. The visual indicators on completed tasks can help the child feel accomplished while working through what may appear like an overwhelming amount of steps to achieve a task. It is no doubt that these visual schedulers can help a child with autism learns independent living skills and more.

Motivational Tool

Kids with ASD enjoy computer and smartphone games like other children. Numerous games focus on helping children with ASD develop cognitive skills while playing. These apps come in handy as an addition to the parenting tools. Parents can use the apps to motivate kids to complete a chore or build a skill. Learning games are also an excellent way of rewarding children with ASD for good behavior.

Development of Social Skills

Children with ASD often lack or have poor social skills. These skills are essential for a child to fit in a conventional classroom and social groups. Children with autism may not abide by social norms such as waiting their turn or maintaining eye contact with the speaking person. A child can learn these skills through repetition and patience. Some apps have gentle approaches to aid child master common social cues like facial expressions.

Enhanced Learning through Games

Technology is an excellent tool for supporting learners regardless of their abilities. This is because using technology to teach engages many of the child’s senses. Learning apps feature bright colors as well as lights for visual stimulation, while the sounds and words are good for auditory learning. The learner will push buttons, slide tiles, and drag objects to engage the sense of touch. Another great thing about learning apps is that children can repeat them as often.