INTERNATIONAL DAY OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

MAY 22

iNTERNATIONAL DAY OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: acknolaging the importance of the interconnectedness of nature

Biological diversity, or biodiversity is what makes our planet adaptable, resilient, and capable of sustaining life over time. It stretches from the tiniest microbes in the soil to entire forests and coral reefs, encompassing the variety of species, the places they inhabit, and the genetic variations that make them unique. Every species, no matter how small, plays a role in keeping ecosystems stable, whether its pollinators helping crops grow, trees purifying air, or fungi recycling nutrients into soil. The diversity among habitats themselves keeps Earth’s systems balanced as forests regulate the climate, wetlands filter water, and oceans store carbon. Just as importantly, variation within species allows life to adapt to changing conditions, helping entire ecosystems survive new challenges. The more diverse life is, the better Earth can withstand shocks like disease, drought, and climate change.

Humans aren’t outside this system, we’re a part of it. The food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe all depend on healthy ecosystems functioning in balance. And this system is an interconnected web that depends on one another. When one piece of the web is negatively affected, the entire structure weakens, and that directly affects our survival and quality of life. Protecting biodiversity means protecting the systems that make life possible for every species, including our own.

Threats to biodiversity

Despite its importance, biodiversity is being lost at alarming rates due to human activity. One major threat is overharvesting and overhunting, which happen when species are taken from their environments faster than they can reproduce. In the ocean, for example, overfishing a single species can throw an entire ecosystem off balance. When too many predatory fish are caught, their prey, which may be smaller fish or crustaceans, multiply rapidly, disrupting the food chain and altering nutrient cycles. Their predators, which may be larger sea animals or birds, experience significant decreases in their population because they don’t have enough food. Depending on the organism, these shifts can even change the salinity and chemical makeup of the water, making it harder for other species to survive. For humans, this imbalance translates into collapsing fisheries, unstable food supplies, and economic hardship for coastal communities that depend on healthy marine ecosystems.

Another growing threat is invasive species, and one of the most visible in the contemporary United States is the spotted lanternfly. Originally from Asia, this insect was accidentally introduced to Pennsylvania around 2014 and has since spread across the East Coast. It feeds on the sap of trees and crops like grapes, apples, and hardwoods, leaving behind a sticky residue that promotes mold growth and weakens plants. In US ecosystems, where it doesn’t belong, the lanternfly has no natural predators, which allows it to multiply quickly and outcompete native species. Invasive species like this one can unravel entire ecosystems by disrupting food webs, reducing biodiversity, and making habitats less resilient to climate change and disease.

The third major threat is habitat loss, and one of the clearest examples is coral reef degradation. Coral reefs are often called the “rainforests of the sea” because they’re home to roughly a quarter of all marine life. But rising ocean temperatures, pollution, and destructive fishing practices are causing widespread coral bleaching, where corals lose the algae they depend on and eventually die. When reefs disappear, so do the countless fish, crustaceans, and other organisms that rely on them for shelter and food. This collapse ripples outward: nearby fisheries decline, coastal protection weakens, and the oceans absorb less carbon dioxide. The loss of coral reef habitats thus threatens the livelihoods, food sources, and safety of millions of people around the world.

Global and local efforts promoting biodiversity

On the global stage, countries have come together under instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to set shared goals and frameworks for conservation. For example, the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) adopted in 2022 sets out dozens of targets for 2030 and goals for 2050 aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss. These frameworks guide policy, funding, accountability and international cooperation. One of the most ambitious global initiatives born from these commitments is the 30x30 target, which aims to protect 30% of Earth’s land and oceans by 2030. Over 100 countries have signed on, pledging to expand protected areas, strengthen conservation laws, and restore degraded habitats as part of this shared global effort. Together, these agreements set expectations for restoring degraded ecosystems, reducing the rate of species loss, regulating the spread of invasive species, and embedding biodiversity in sectors including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and urban planning.

At the local level, there is a lot being done: government protected area creation and management, restoration of degraded land or forests, community-led conservation by indigenous peoples and local communities, integrating biodiversity into municipal planning, agriculture and infrastructure decisions. For instance, in Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation brings together local governments, nonprofits, and volunteers to restore wetlands, plant riparian buffers, and monitor water quality, helping to protect one of the most biologically rich estuaries in North America. In many other regions, local habitat restoration programs such as planting native trees, reconnecting fragmented patches of forest, and managing invasive species are being supported by NGOs, governments and citizen groups. Local biodiversity efforts across the world also touch on urban green spaces, restoring wetlands, removing invasive plants, improving pollinator habitats in farmland, and supporting wildlife corridors to allow species to move between habitat patches. An example of this is Kenya’s Amboseli Ecosystem Trust, which works with Maasai communities to restore grasslands and create wildlife migration routes between national parks, balancing local livelihoods with conservation. These local activities are crucial because biodiversity loss happens on the ground: a forest cleared in a county, a wetland drained for development, an invasive plant spreading in a park, and these local events add up globally. Without investing in localized, context-specific, hands-on work, the high-level targets can’t be met.

3 Actions you can take to help biological diversity

Plant native species — Native plants support local pollinators and wildlife, helping to rebuild natural habitats that have been lost to development.
Avoid invasive species — Learn which plants and animals are invasive in your area and avoid buying or releasing them. It’s simple, but helps prevent local ecosystem damage.
Support reforestation and habitat restoration projects — Volunteer your time or donate to organizations that restore local habitats such as forests, wetlands, or coral reefs.

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