LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The five main threats to biodiversity are habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. Increased mobility and trade has resulted in the introduction of invasive species while the other threats are direct results of human population growth and resource use.

Detailed explanation-2: -The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally.

Detailed explanation-3: -The IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) has identified five key drivers of biodiversity loss: changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of natural resources; climate change; pollution; and the invasion of alien species.

Detailed explanation-4: -Below, we discuss six of the major threats to biodiversity: climate change, habitat loss and degradation, pollution, invasive species, over-exploitation and epidemics.