The main reasons for the decline in the number of animals. Fundamentals of population ecology The main reasons for the decline and extinction of animals

25.01.2022

The process of reducing the number of some species of plants and animals on Earth has been observed for several centuries. The urgency of this problem has not become less in our days.

IUCN

Questions about the plant world were raised by the international community as early as the 19th century, but the first organization that seriously dealt with this problem was created only in 1948. It has received the name and Natural Resources (IUCN).

During the organization, the Commission on rare and endangered species was established. The purpose of the Commission in those days was to collect information about animals and plants that were threatened with extinction.

After 15 years, in 1963, the organization published the first list of such species. The Red Book of Facts was the name of this list. Later, the edition was renamed, and the list was called the "Red Book of the World."

Reasons for the decline in the number of plants and animals

The reasons that led to the reduction of species of flora and fauna are very different. But all of them are mainly connected with the economic activity of man or his rash interference in the life of nature.

The most common reason for the reduction of wildlife species is the mass shooting of animals during hunting, fishing, destruction of egg clutches, and collection of plants. Here we are talking about the direct destruction of species.

Another, no less common, reason for the decline in the number of wild animals and plants on the planet is not related to their direct extermination. Here it must be said about the destruction of the habitat: the plowing of virgin lands, the construction of hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs, and deforestation.

There is a natural reason for the reduction or extinction of wildlife species - climate change on Earth. For example, the relic gull today lives only on some lakes in Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and the Chita region. The number of the species is 10 thousand individuals, and the number of nesting pairs varies from year to year depending on weather conditions. The "Red Book of the World" devotes one of its pages to this one. But millions of years ago, when there was a huge inland sea in the modern territories of its habitat, relic gulls, according to scientists, were widespread everywhere, and nothing threatened their numbers.

Measures for the protection of wildlife

The plants and animals of the "Red Book" made a person not only understand the reasons for their disappearance from the face of the Earth, but also develop a set of measures aimed at saving wildlife.

Today it is already clear that in order to restore the number of some species, it is enough just to ban hunting or gathering. In order to preserve other rare animals and plants, it is necessary to create special conditions for their living. At the same time, any economic activity in this territory should be prohibited.

Species that are on the verge of complete extinction, a person tries to save by artificial breeding in special nurseries while creating all favorable conditions for existence.

The "Red Book of the World" divided the animals and plants listed on its pages into categories. To do this, the current state of the species, its predisposition to a decrease in numbers or extinction is taken into account.

First category of species

The pages of the book, where the species of the first category are listed, are the most disturbing. Endangered wildlife is recorded here. If humanity does not urgently take special measures, then the salvation of these animals and plants will be impossible.

Second category

These pages contain a list of living beings of the planet, whose numbers are still quite large, but their steady decline is underway. Scientists are convinced that if specific actions are not taken, then these species may also face death.

The third category of plants and animals

The "Red Book of the World" has posted lists of species that are not threatened today, but their number is small or they live in small areas. Therefore, any changes to the environment where they are common can lead to unpredictable results.

Plants and animals living on small islands are the most vulnerable. For example, the Komodo dragon inhabits the islands of Eastern Indonesia. Any rash human actions or natural phenomena (floods, volcanic eruptions) can lead to the extinction of the species in a very short period of time.

Fourth category

Despite the fact that science today is moving forward at a tremendous pace, there are still representatives of flora and fauna on Earth that are little studied. They are presented on the pages of the "Red Book" in the fourth category.

For some reason, scientists are concerned about the abundance of these species, but due to lack of knowledge, it is not yet possible to rank them among other categories of plants and animals on the “alarm list”.

Green Pages

The fifth category of animal and plant species is located on the green pages. These are special pages. Here are the species that managed to avoid the threat of extinction. The number has been restored thanks to human actions. These representatives of the species have not been removed from the pages of the Red Book for the reason that their commercial use is prohibited.

"Red Book of the World". Plants

The 1996 edition of the disturbing book contains descriptions of 34,000 endangered plant species. They were taken under their protection by the public organization IUCN and the Red Book.

The plant world most often becomes a victim of beauty. People, admiring the unusualness and sophistication of plants, begin to mindlessly destroy plantations for the sake of a bunch of flowers. Not the last role is played in this case by the desire of a person for profit. Such is the fate of alpine edelweiss, Ossetian bluebell, narcissus.

There are many plants that have suffered from human activities and environmental pollution. These include tulips, chillim, some types of pine and many others.

Animals of the "Red Book of the World"

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about 5.5 thousand species of animals need protection today.

Paying tribute to fashion or satisfying their gastronomic needs, a person invades the life of wildlife, causing irreparable damage to it. The list of animals affected by this cause is incredibly long: European pearl mussel, giant salamanders, muskrat, Galapagos giant tortoise, and many other species.

IUCN is a public organization and its decisions are not binding, so the leadership works closely with governments of states, seeking to implement those recommendations that will help save the life of the planet.

Conservation of rare species as a special problem. Extinct animals and in need of special protection. Plants and animals of the Red Book of Siberia: Siberian sturgeon and sterlet, gray owl and peregrine falcon, gyrfalcon or saker falcon, Tuvan beaver and Barguzin sable.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

FEDERAL STATE BUDGET EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

"ANGARSK STATE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY"

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS

CHAIR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

TEST

ON THE DISCIPLINE "ECOLOGY"

Reasons for the decline in the number of animal and plant species (on the example of specific species). Disappeared and in need of protection species of animals and plants (region - optional). Red Book of the Siberian Federal District

Angarsk, 2017

Introduction

1. Conservation of rare species as a special issue

2. Reasons for the decline in the number of animal and plant species

3. Disappeared and in need of protection species of animals and plants

4. Red Book of the Siberian Federal District

Conclusion

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Everything is interconnected with everything - says the first ecological law, which means that you cannot take a step without hitting something. Each step of a person on an ordinary lawn is dozens of destroyed microorganisms, frightened off insects, changing migration routes, and maybe even reducing their natural productivity. Therefore, the rash behavior of human society in natural ecosystems is reminiscent of the behavior of an elephant in a china shop, with the only difference that the dishes broken by the elephant can be replaced with newly made ones, and the destroyed natural objects and the ecological relationships between them are irreversibly violated.

The animal world, being an integral part of the natural environment, acts as an integral link in the chain of ecological systems, a necessary component in the process of the circulation of substances and energy of nature, actively influencing the functioning of natural communities, the structure and natural fertility of soils, the formation of vegetation cover, the biological properties of water and the quality the natural environment as a whole. At the same time, the animal world is of great economic importance: as a source of food, industrial, technical, medicinal raw materials and other material values, and therefore acts as a natural resource for hunting, whaling, fishing and other types of trade. Certain types of animals are of great cultural, scientific, aesthetic, educational, and medicinal value.

Each animal species is an indispensable carrier of the genetic fund.

Every year the use of the animal world for recreational purposes is increasing. Previously, sport hunting and fishing served as the main direction of such use. Nowadays, the importance of animals as objects of photo hunting, sightseeing observations is increasing. Millions of people from all over the world visit national parks to admire animals and birds in their natural setting.

The object is endangered species of animals and plants.

The subject is endangered species of animals and plants of Siberia.

The goal is the problem of reducing the number of animal and plant species and ways to solve it.

I believe that this problem is now becoming more and more urgent. And, despite the fact that now there are more and more people who are trying to solve it, irreparable damage has already been done to the biological diversity of the earth, and the further reduction in the number of animal and plant species does not stop.

1. PRESERVATIONRARESPECIESASSPECIALPROBLEM

Each species has a unique gene pool, formed as a result of natural selection in the process of its evolution. All species have potential economic value to humans as well, since it is impossible to predict which species may eventually become useful or even irreplaceable. The possibilities of using species are so unpredictable that it would be the greatest mistake to let a species become extinct just because today we do not know its useful properties.

More than 40 years ago, the prominent American ecologist Oldo Leopold wrote about this: “The biggest ignoramus is the person who asks about a plant or an animal: what is the use of it? If the mechanism of the Earth is good as a whole, then every part of it is also good, regardless of whether we understand its purpose or not ... Who, except for a fool, will throw away parts that seem useless? Save every screw, every wheel - this is the first rule of those who are trying to figure out an unknown machine.

Every hour science discovers new, extremely useful properties for humans in species that were previously considered useless or harmful. Until now, only a small part of wild animals (and plants) has been examined for the content of medicinal substances. So, recently, in one sponge (Tethya crypta) from the Caribbean Sea, a substance was found that is the strongest inhibitor in various forms of cancer, in particular leukemia. Another substance from the same sponge proved to be an effective drug in the treatment of viral encephalitis and marked a revolution in the treatment of certain viral diseases. A number of new compounds for the treatment of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases have been obtained from many species of sponges, anemones, mollusks, starfish, annelids and other animals that were recently considered useless.

The complete destruction of a species anywhere - on a coral reef or in a tropical forest, notes the World Conservation Strategy, can cause an incurable disease in humans only because the source of the necessary raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry has been destroyed.

Many other features of animals are revealed to man when they are studied. It has been found, for example, that armadillos are the only animals suffering from leprosy, and in finding methods of treating this disease, medicine relies heavily on research on this species of animals. The polychaete marine worm (Lumbrineris brevicirra) has recently served as a source of the neurotoxic insecticide padan, which is very effective in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle, cotton weevil, rice grinder, cabbage moth and other pests, including those resistant to phosphorus and organochlorine compounds. . The planktonic coccolith (Umbilicosphaera) has recently been found to be capable of concentrating uranium products 10,000 times more than their concentration in the environment. This opens up a new path for the biological treatment of radioactive waste. It has also recently been discovered that polar bear hair is an exceptionally efficient storage of solar heat, giving researchers the key to designing and manufacturing a material for clothing designed to be worn in polar conditions.

In recent years, one of the most important global problems facing humanity has become the conservation of the biological diversity of the Earth. Biological diversity (or, as they often say, biodiversity) is the totality and harmonious combination of the gene pool, its carriers (animals and plants), and their evolutionarily established complexes (ecosystems). Man is also part of biodiversity. The most fragile component of biodiversity, the most sensitive integrated indicator of its unfavorable changes, are rare species of animals and plants. The extinction, the extinction of each species is nothing but a test for the quality of the environment, for the hidden shortcomings of our work to preserve biodiversity, it is a crack in the integrity of the structure of biodiversity. A network of such cracks means its decay, death. From this, the following is quite obvious: firstly, the loss of each species is a signal of danger, and, secondly, one can judge the quality of the environment by the state of rare species. At the same time, the conservation and restoration of each rare species means the restoration of its functions in the ecosystem and, therefore, should be regarded as an important step towards the conservation, and sometimes even the restoration of biodiversity as a whole.

There is another aspect - moral. The extinction of a species is, in essence, proof of our impotence in controlling nature.

In this regard, a number of questions arise. Is the process of species extinction irreversible in principle? Is it possible to stop it at all in the new, relatively recent conditions? Or are the loss of species and the impoverishment of the fauna inevitable as a kind of "payment" for everything that man has brought to nature? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to understand the causes and evaluate the factors that adversely affect the existence of species, to create conditions that allow compensating for the lost.

2. CAUSESABBREVIATIONSNUMBERSSPECIESANIMALSAndPLANTS

The animal world of our planet has about 2 million species of animals. As a result of human impact, the number of many species has been significantly reduced, and some of them have completely disappeared.

Modern man has existed on Earth for about 40 thousand years. He began to engage in cattle breeding and agriculture only 10 thousand years ago. Therefore, for 30,000 years, hunting was an almost exclusive source of food and clothing. The improvement of tools and methods of hunting was accompanied by the death of a number of animal species.

The development of weapons and vehicles allowed man to penetrate into the most remote corners of the globe. And everywhere the development of new lands was accompanied by the merciless extermination of animals, the death of a number of species. The tarpan, a European steppe horse, was completely destroyed by hunting. Tours, spectacled cormorant, Labrador eider, Bengal hoopoe and many other animals became victims of hunting. As a result of unregulated hunting, dozens of species of animals and birds are on the verge of extinction.

At the beginning of our century, the intensification of whaling (the creation of a harpoon gun and floating bases for processing whales) led to the disappearance of individual populations of whales, a sharp drop in their total number.

The number of animals is decreasing not only as a result of direct extermination, but also due to the deterioration of environmental conditions in the territories and areas. Anthropogenic changes in landscapes adversely affect the conditions of existence of most animal species. Deforestation, plowing steppes and prairies, draining swamps, regulating runoff, polluting the waters of rivers, lakes and seas - all this, taken together, interferes with the normal life of wild animals, leads to a decrease in their numbers even with a ban on hunting.

Intensive timber harvesting in many countries has led to changes in forests. Coniferous forests are increasingly replaced by small-leaved ones. At the same time, the composition of their fauna also changes. Not all animals and birds living in coniferous forests can find enough food and places for shelters in secondary birch and aspen forests. For example, squirrels and martens, many species of birds cannot live in them.

The plowing of steppes and prairies, the reduction of insular forests in the forest-steppe are accompanied by the almost complete disappearance of many steppe animals and birds. In the steppe agrocenoses, saigas, bustards, little bustards, gray partridges, quails, etc. have almost completely disappeared.

The transformation and change in the nature of many rivers and lakes radically changes the conditions for the existence of most river and lake fish, leading to a decrease in their numbers. Huge damage to fish stocks is caused by pollution of water bodies. At the same time, the oxygen content in the water decreases sharply, which leads to massive fish kills.

Dams on rivers have a huge impact on the ecological state of water bodies. They block the spawning path for migratory fish, worsen the condition of spawning grounds, and sharply reduce the flow of nutrients into river deltas and coastal parts of seas and lakes. To prevent the negative impact of dams on the ecosystems of aquatic complexes, a number of engineering and biotechnical measures are being taken (fish passes and fish elevators are being built to ensure the movement of fish to spawn). The most effective way to reproduce the fish stock is to build fish hatcheries and hatcheries.

Scientists state that many species of plants, animals, birds and insects are disappearing from the face of our planet 1,000 times faster than the natural level. This means that we are losing 10 to 130 species every day.

The UN Commission on Biodiversity draws attention to the catastrophic changes in the world of wildlife. The current situation is comparable to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Today, more than 40% of all living species on Earth are endangered. If these rates of extinction continue or accelerate, the number of endangered species in the coming decades will be in the millions. Of course, this is a reason to think for every inhabitant of the planet, because the disappearance of certain species inevitably leads to global environmental problems, threatening the stability of the entire ecosystem of the Earth.

3. DISAPPEAREDAndPEOPLE IN NEEDATPROTECTIONKINDSANIMALSAndPLANTS

Now you can see extinct animals only on the pages of encyclopedias, and yet many of them lived on the territory of Russia some 50-100 years ago. A vivid example of this is the Turanian tiger, destroyed in the middle of the last century. The extinct predator weighed 240 kg, had long-haired thick fur and a bright red color, was the closest relative of the Amur tiger. Before disappearing, he lived in the south of Turkey and Kazakhstan, in Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran. In Russia, the extinct Turanian tigers lived in the North Caucasus.

One of the representatives of the recently extinct species is the Eurasian wild horse, better known as the tarpan. It is believed that this individual died at the hands of man in 1879. The habitat of animals was the steppes of Western Siberia and the European part of the country. Outwardly, the tarpans looked like undersized (height at the withers - up to 135 cm), stocky horses. Representatives of this species were distinguished by endurance, had a thick wavy mane and a color from dirty yellow to black-brown.

A little earlier, at the end of the 18th century, people exterminated the sea (steller's) cow - a slow aquatic mammal with a weight reaching 10 tons and a length of more than 9 meters. The animal ate seaweed, led a sedentary lifestyle. By the time of discovery by the expedition of Vitus Bering (1741), representatives of this species were found only near the Commander Islands. Their population, according to scientists, numbered no more than 2,000 individuals.

The ancestor of the domestic bull, the tour, finally disappeared in the first third of the 17th century, although 2.5 millennia before that it was found everywhere in North Africa, Asia Minor and Europe. In Russia, extinct animals lived both in the steppes and in the forests. At the withers, they reached 2 meters, weighed up to 1.2 tons. The characteristic features of the tours were: a large head, long developed horns, strong and high limbs, red, black-brown and black color. Animals were distinguished by their evil disposition, speed and remarkable strength.

The cave bear, which lived in the wooded part of Eurasia in the Paleolithic era, belongs to long-extinct animals. He had strong paws and a large head, thick woolen cover. The weight of a cave bear could reach 900 kg. Despite its large size (1.5 times larger than a grizzly), the animal was distinguished by its peaceful character: it ate only honey and plants. Scientists suggest that this species of bears disappeared 15 thousand years ago as a result of climate change and Neanderthal hunting.

Status: Vulnerable.

Threats: The Australian Koala Foundation estimates that there are about 100,000 koalas left in the wild.

The koala was actively hunted until the beginning of the 20th century, when they were on the verge of extinction. Millions of animal skins have been sold in Europe and the United States.

Large-scale destruction of koalas took place in Queensland in 1915, 1917 and 1919, when more than one million animals were killed with the help of weapons, poisons and nooses. This massacre caused a wide public outcry and was probably the first environmental issue that rallied Australians. However, despite a growing movement to protect native species, poverty and famine resulting from the droughts of 1926-1928 led to another massacre. Within one month of the opening of the hunting season in August 1927, 600,000 koalas were killed.

Today, the main threats to the survival of the species are: the consequences of urbanization, habitat degradation, cutting down the koalas' food plant - eucalyptus, traffic accidents, dog attacks. In recent years, some koala colonies have been hit hard by infectious diseases, especially chlamydia. Koala chlamydia is different from the human form and can lead to blindness and infertility. Surveys have shown that at least 50% of the individuals are infected with chlamydia and a retrovirus that weakens the immunity of animals.

2. Chimpanzee

Threats: In the last 20-30 years there has been a rapid decline in the chimpanzee population, the forecasts for the future are not encouraging.

The decline in the number of chimpanzees is associated with the destruction and degradation of their habitat (slash-and-burn farming, large-scale logging), poaching for meat and illegal trade in cubs. Recently, infectious diseases have become a big threat to the chimpanzee population. The fact is that chimpanzees are susceptible to human diseases, and, due to the increase in contacts between them and people, there is an increase in the number of cases of infection.

3. Amur tiger

Status: endangered.

Threats: In the 30s of the XX century, the number of Amur tigers was no more than 50 individuals, and according to some sources - no more than 20-30. By the 1980s, systematic actions to preserve the species bore fruit, the number of animals increased to 200.

The main threat to the existence of big cats has always been poaching. A tiger bone is worth its weight in gold on the Chinese black market, a tiger skin is a coveted trophy.

In the late 1980s, the demand for tiger bones increased dramatically, well-organized gangs of poachers at that time severely crippled the tiger population. It was not until 1993 that the programs for the conservation of the Amur tiger were resumed, and already in 1996 their number approached 430.

Today, the number of tigers living in the wild is estimated at 431 - 529 individuals.

Large-scale illegal logging and forest fires have also become a serious threat to tigers, depriving them of their usual habitats.

4. African elephant

Status: endangered.

Threats: In the 20th century, the number of African elephants declined exponentially. Ivory poaching has taken on a monstrous scale. Thus, during the 10 years preceding the international ban on the ivory trade (1990), the number of African elephants fell by half. Back in 1970, there were 400,000 individuals, but by 2006 there were only 10,000 left.

Kenya has become one of the countries where African elephants have been virtually wiped out. Between 1973 and 1989, the number of elephants decreased by 85%. In Burundi, Gambia, Mauritania and Swaziland, elephants have disappeared altogether.

Currently, the African elephant formally has government protection, and in some areas, in recent years, there has been an increase in numbers by an average of 4%. However, poaching is still rampant. 2012 is known to have seen a large surge in illegal ivory mining.

5 Galapagos Sea Lion

Status: endangered.

Threats: The Galapagos sea lion is a species of sea lion found exclusively in the Galapagos Islands and, to a lesser extent, in Isla de la Plata (Ecuador).

The population in 1978 was about 40,000, now the number of individuals has decreased by 50%.

The main threats are the tendency to die and stop reproduction during El Niño (a fluctuation in the temperature of the surface water layer in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which has a noticeable effect on climate), predator attacks, and the possibility of contracting infectious diseases from wild dogs.

6. Galapagos tortoise or elephant tortoise

Status: Vulnerable.

Threats: It is believed that more than 200,000 elephant tortoises were destroyed by the beginning of the 20th century. This led to the fact that on the islands of Charles and Barington the turtles completely died out, on the others they disappeared almost completely.

Records of ship logs dating back to the middle of the 19th century say that in 36 years 79 whaling ships took 10,373 turtles from the islands. The fact is that having discovered the Galapagos, European sailors began to use elephant turtles as "live canned food." The holds were stuffed with animals, where they were kept for several months without water and food.

In addition, natural habitats for agriculture were destroyed, alien animals such as rats, pigs and goats were introduced and distributed, becoming competitors for food for turtles.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, many efforts have been made to restore the Galapagos tortoise population. The captive-bred cubs were released on the islands, in their natural habitats. To date, the number of elephant tortoises is more than 19,000 individuals.

Of the fifteen subspecies of elephant tortoises, only ten have survived today. The eleventh subspecies was represented by the only individual kept in captivity. He is known to us as Lonely George. Sadly, George passed away in June 2012.

Status: Vulnerable.

Threats: Once upon a time, cheetahs lived almost throughout Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. Today they are found exclusively in Africa, south of the Sahara and in Asia, where single individuals that are on the verge of extinction have survived.

Most cheetahs do not live in protected areas, which leads to conflicts with farmers. Due to the narrowing of habitable territories, cheetahs often cross paths with humans when preying on livestock. The local population considers them as "pests" and wages a constant struggle with them. In addition, the skin of a cheetah is still a coveted trophy for poachers. All this inexorably leads to a reduction in the population; over the past 20 years, the number of cheetahs has decreased by 30%.

8 Western Gorilla

Status: critically endangered.

Threats: Back in 2007, western gorillas were listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species.

Poaching, commercial logging and climate change are all upsetting the ecological balance of the habitat and leading to the gradual extinction of the western gorilla population.

But perhaps the biggest threat to the existence of gorillas today is the Ebola virus, which is decimating individuals of this species, including in protected areas. From 1992 to 2011, within 20 years, the number of western gorillas decreased by 45%. Currently, the Ebola virus could deplete the western gorilla population to a critical point where recovery becomes impossible.

9 Grevy's Zebra

Status: endangered.

Threats: In the past, the Grevy's zebra or desert zebra was distributed from Egypt to North Africa, where it was exterminated in ancient times. It is assumed that it was her ancient naturalists who called the "tiger horse".

The number of Grevy's zebras in the 1970s was about 15,000, by the beginning of the 21st century, only 3,500 individuals remained, which is 75% less. To date, it is believed that the number of Grevy's zebras living in the wild is no more than 2,500. About 600 zebras are kept in captivity.

For centuries, Grevy's zebra has been relentlessly hunted for its beautiful skin, which has become a favorite interior decoration. In addition, the zebra was destroyed, considering it an undesirable competitor for livestock on pastures. More recently, Grevy's zebras have been found to feed on particularly tough grass species that cannot be digested by cattle.

Currently, in Somalia and Ethiopia, Grevy's zebra is almost completely exterminated, only in Kenya it was possible to implement effective conservation measures.

10. Hippo

Status: Vulnerable.

Threats: The number of hippos in the world has decreased by 7 - 20% over the past 10 years. According to experts, in the next 30 years their number will fall by another 30%.

Everywhere, the hippopotamus population is experiencing a negative impact from humans. The local population is poaching hippos in order to obtain meat and bones of the animal. Illegal trade in hippopotamus bone became rampant at the end of the 20th century. For example, in 1991-1992, more than 27 tons of bones were seized from illegal traders and poachers. In addition, every year the amount of cultivated land is growing, and coastal lands are often plowed up, which are both a home and a feeding place for hippos.

Today, the world is constantly creating new technologies, cities, factories, houses are being built. To do this, use the materials that nature gives. Many animals and plants in the struggle for life lose to man. The consequence of this is the disappearance of some of their varieties. If you do not create protection for them, they may disappear altogether, like some extinct species of plants and animals. Disappeared plant species are divided into two groups: those that disappeared during the revolution; those whose disappearance was influenced by man.

The disappearance of many species of flora often depends on man and his destructive, as it turns out, activities. Thousands of specimens of rare plants will never be seen by mankind. The Red Book is a list of plants and animals that are either extinct or on the verge of becoming extinct. But even despite the existing accounting, it is impossible to know exactly how many specimens of certain plants are left in the world. Extinct plant species receive this status and their place in the "black list" after the last officially documented specimen disappears.

Many extinct species are known only from their "remains" - prints on stones, evidence in official documents. One of the most ancient extinct plants is the archefructus. Its remains were discovered in 1998 in the Lower Cretaceous deposits in China. A whole genus of these plants has died out, but water lilies are considered their probable descendant or closest relative. Archefructus also grew in ponds, but was not fully formed (for example, there were no petals). Scientists consider this ancient plant to be the progenitor of all flowering plants in modern history.

Extinct plant species usually belong to the early epochs of the development of nature. It is worth mentioning Archeopteris - an ancient fern that grew back in the Paleozoic era. It is considered the oldest tree.

Also interesting in its structure is the tree-like plant lepidodendron, which existed in the Carboniferous period. Its leaves grew directly from the trunk, without petioles, so after leaf fall the trunk remained scarred, which made the bark look like crocodile skin.

Unfortunately, ancient extinct plants are not alone in their fate. Even in the 20th century, it became possible for representatives of the flora to disappear from the face of the Earth. So, for example, the Crian violet, which grew on limestone soils in the southeast of France, was irretrievably lost. An unexpected destruction of limestone led to her death.

Currently, 799 species (including fauna) have completely disappeared, 61 species have ceased to exist in the wild, and a huge number are on the verge of extinction. These numbers, unfortunately, are only growing every year.

Extinct in the wild EW - this status is given to plants that have survived only in captivity. They usually grow in botanical gardens or reserves, where their population is carefully monitored. For example, Wood's encephalarthos, which grew on the forest slopes of South Africa, was removed from the wild and placed in botanical gardens in different parts of the world. Due to unfavorable conditions, this plant could disappear forever. And all because it is a type of male plant, that is, it does not reproduce in the usual way, but spreads by dividing a single copy.

Endangered plants are sometimes considered completely extinct from the world, but a miracle happens and someone finds the last copy. This is what happened with the Gibraltar tar, which for many years was considered lost to nature. But in 1994, a climber accidentally stumbled upon this flower high in the mountains. Today, this plant lives in the Gibraltar Botanical Garden and in the Royal Garden of London.

Due to the extinction of their only pollinators - nectar birds - the most beautiful flower, called "Parrot's Beak", disappeared. Its inflorescences really resemble a bird's beak, although they have a red-orange color. The flower is native to the Canary Islands.

Another interesting flower now growing in captivity is the chocolate cosmos. Such an unusual name was given to a Mexican flower that smells of vanilla.

The reason for the disappearance of many plants is human activity, but natural elements also make their sad contribution. So, after the fires in 1978 in Hawaii, the Kokio flower, which grew only on the trunks of a certain type of tree, disappeared from the wild.

Critically Endangered Species CR - This category is critical for all threatened species. Perhaps those plants that are in this category have died a long time ago, but scientists do not have time to conduct enough research to be convinced of this. There are currently 1619 plant species under the CR sign. Endangered plants of Russia are also included in this category.

Plants such as ginseng, spring adonis, yellow water lily are on the verge of extinction in our country due to their medicinal properties. Many people, not suspecting that these are plants from the Red Book, pluck them, thereby destroying the entire population.

One of the rarest plants in the world is the mountain flower Edelweiss. It can be found in the Alps, Altai and the Caucasus, but for this you need to climb to a height of several thousand meters. A flower surrounded by legends, having inflorescences in the form of stars, loves loneliness, although it is the patron saint of lovers.

Plants from the Red Book are forbidden to be plucked. For example, in Switzerland for such an offense you will have to pay an impressive fine.

Endangered Species EN - the status that is given to species that are at risk of extinction due to their small number or unfavorable conditions of the surrounding world and habitat.

Ever since the first man appeared on the planet, the extinction of animal and plant species began to gain momentum. It was connected with both agriculture and hunting. Which plants are dying out and which are not can be difficult to determine. This is because some species habitats are simply unknown, it is not possible to establish their exact number.

There are 652 plant species in the Red Book of Russia that are considered endangered. Among them are half-flowered, flat-leaved snowdrop, fori rhododendron, walnut-bearing lotus, mountain peony and many others. Endangered plants in Russia are under protection, however, administrative. But in the event of the complete extermination of any plant species from the Red Book, criminal liability will follow.

Vulnerable Species VU is the protection status of plant species that are at risk of becoming endangered. But there are plants that breed well in captivity and, in fact, are not threatened. However, scientists tend to leave this status behind them, since there is a possibility of a decline in the population in the wild. For example, a carnivorous plant, the Venus flytrap, which feeds on insects and sometimes molluscs, has VU status. This category of plants has more than five thousand plants, including mosses. For example, Russian cornflower, Scythian gorse, bear nut, Gesner's tulip, yew berry, etc.

Species dependent on conservation efforts. Since 1994, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has not added new plant species to this category. CD is a subcategory that is subdivided into three branches: conservation dependent; close to a vulnerable position; little threat.

252 species belonging to this subcategory are listed in the International Red Book. For example, kunonya round-leaved, several types of Eleocarpus, Mexican viburnum, etc. Endangered plants almost never return to this category, since it is almost impossible to restore the population of endangered plants.

Near Vulnerable NT status is assigned to animals and plants that may become vulnerable in the near future, but are not currently threatened by any threat. The main criteria for falling into this category are population decline and worldwide distribution.

Species of Least Concern The LC status is assigned to all other species and plants and animals that are not classified in any other category. Endangered plants have never been in this category.

4. REDBOOKSiberian Federal District

red book siberia animal

Siberia is often called the soul of Russia, because it is just as big and generous. Here, the diversity of the world of flora, fauna and minerals is widely represented, which a person has been using for a long time and with pleasure, without thinking about how such exorbitant appetites affect Mother Nature.

Environmentalists constantly draw public attention to the disappearance of animal species around the planet. The difficult ecological situation around the world, uncontrolled production, barbaric mining, deforestation and the development of more and more new territories have led to the fact that every day one species disappears on the planet. Unfortunately, the Siberian region, which has always been famous for its inexhaustible wealth, is no exception.

The very fact of the existence of a section of the Red Book dedicated to rare animals indicates that many species are no longer there, while others are on the verge of extinction.

Plants The boundless expanses of Siberia extend in various climatic zones. The flora has a huge variety: from lichen and moss covering the marshland to the huge coniferous forests of the taiga. But, despite this diversity, some plant species are disappearing and are already listed in the Red Book. For example, ginseng or hydrangea petiolate were not uncommon until recently. The anemone of forest botany was previously treated with special trepidation, because this representative of the ranunculus family blooms once every ten years, and now it is almost impossible to find it. Not everyone will be able to see the soft lilac flowers of the wolf's bark. This representative of the berries is now very rare in the forests of Western and Central Siberia. More recently, a snow-white snowdrop and a large-flowered slipper pleased the eye. Now both plants are on the verge of extinction due to their beautiful flowers.

Exterminated by poaching many animals of Siberia, listed in the Red Book. On its pages there are nineteen species of mammals, seventy-four species of birds, not to mention fish. Siberian sturgeon and sterlet, which abounded in Siberian rivers, have become endangered species, while peled, carp and carp have now become a special success for the fisherman.

It is impossible to imagine the boundless expanses of the Siberian plain without a huge kingdom of birds that inhabit it. Ornithologists number about three hundred species of birds that choose a generous land for their nesting. Siberia has become a real Mecca for these scientists: the rarest species of the planet flock here, still leaving connoisseurs in bewilderment. It would seem that the harsh nature of the region is not the best place for nesting. However, birds travel thousands of kilometers to return to their homes. There are many versions as to why this is happening. According to one of them, this behavior of birds is explained by the genetic memory of the time when Siberia was a warm and ever-blooming place. Birds arrange their nests sometimes in the most amazing and seemingly unsuitable places for this. So, for example, dancing wheatears have adapted to life in gopher burrows, and remez builds its elongated nests at the very ends of branches in inaccessible places above the surface of water bodies. Sand martins can be called real builders: they equip their dwellings on steep river cliffs, tearing out their holes up to a meter long. But the nightjar does not care at all about building a nest and lays its eggs right on the ground. Brown-headed chickadees cannot be denied originality: as a home for their chicks, they choose rotten tree stumps, in which they peck out hollows.

Unfortunately, many birds and animals of Siberia are on the verge of extinction, especially predators, whose populations have always been small.

One of the largest owls on the planet, the Great Gray Owl is listed in the Red Book. Other birds of prey, such as peregrine falcon, gyrfalcon or saker falcon, also need protection.

Speaking about the fauna of Siberia, it is difficult not to mention the variety of fur animals that this region is rich in: fox, arctic fox, raccoon, ermine, beaver, sable, mink, weasel, coypu, muskrat, otter and others. These animals have always been the pride of the state's hunting grounds. Reserves, sanctuaries, hunting grounds and fur-bearing animal farms try to preserve the fragile natural balance. Poaching has become a real scourge, and now many Siberian fur animals listed in the Red Book require protection.

Such animals, for example, include the Tuvan beaver and the Barguzin sable. Now these animals are restoring their population in reserves. The hunting farms also monitor the populations of predators, for example, an excessive increase in wolves can also become a threat to small protected animals.

And what other animals live in Siberia? After this question, people will immediately remember the brown bear, wolf, lynx, wolverine, red deer, deer, elk, wild boar, bighorn sheep, roe deer, deer, musk deer, Baikal seal, beaver, hare and squirrel. Do not forget about smaller, but no less interesting animals. Well known to all are moles, ground squirrels and field mice, which can often be found near human dwellings. The Alpine Siberian vole, the long-tailed ground squirrel, and the lemming are less likely to catch the eye of people.

And what are the known animals of the Red Book of Siberia? On its pages you can see a tiny shrew and a rare Dahurian hedgehog. The number of these mammals is extremely small.

The protection of flora and fauna has been and remains one of the most serious tasks set for humanity, which has been thoughtlessly and wastefully treating the environment for many centuries. Exploring new territories and natural resources, people are pushing animals out of their usual habitats, thereby exposing some species to the danger of complete extinction. Reserves and national parks play a huge role in preserving the nature of Siberia. The Republic of Buryatia has three nature reserves and two national parks.

It is impossible to talk about the nature of the Siberian region without mentioning Lake Baikal with its purest waters, located in Eastern Siberia.

Rare representatives of the fauna inhabiting its shores and surroundings prompted the authorities of the Russian Empire to organize the Barguzinsky Reserve back in 1916. Thirty-nine species of mammals, four reptiles, two amphibians and two hundred and sixty species of birds are represented on its territory. The reserve is part of the Lake Baikal biosphere range complex and is part of the World Natural Heritage. On the southern coast of the lake there is another reserve, created in 1969 and called Baikal. Siberian animals also live in it. There you can see 49 species of mammals, three reptiles, two amphibians and 272 species of birds.

In 1992, the Dzherginsky Reserve, located in the north of the Republic of Buryatia, began its work. Thanks to the efforts of its employees and scientists, a lot of work has been done, as a result of which forty-three species of mammals, one hundred and eighty-four species of birds, four reptiles, and three amphibians have been identified.

Conservation work is carried out in the Zabaikalsky, Tunkinsky, Pribaikalsky, Shorsky, Alkhanai national parks.

What other animals of Western Siberia are endangered?

The cold climate of these places is easily tolerated by predators with expensive fur - arctic foxes. There are fifty-seven thousand holes in the vast expanses of the tundra, where furry predators settled down. The arctic fox is a game animal, therefore hunting farms are very attentive to its livestock. The skins of this animal are used not only for the domestic market, but also account for seventy-five percent of all fur exports.

Other animals that live a little further south include such Siberian animals as ermine, weasel and even wolverine, who often like to visit residential villages to feast on poultry.

Previously, wild deer roamed Western Siberia in huge herds, now their number has been greatly reduced and amounts to only twenty-five thousand individuals. Sable, which is also a game animal, inhabits coniferous and mixed forests. Its extraction is a serious economic component in the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug and the Tomsk Region. Therefore, illegal catching of sable and other animals with valuable fur is punishable by law.

Of the 16 subjects of the Federation of the Siberian Federal District, the Red Books were published in 13: in the Altai republics (1996 - separate volumes "Animals" and "Plants and Fungi"), Buryatia (1988 - a consolidated volume, 2002 - the volume "Plants ”, 2004 - Volume “Animals”), Tyva (1999 - volume “Plants”, 2002 - volume “Animals”), Khakassia (2002 - volume “Plants and Mushrooms”); in the Altai Territory (1998 - separate volumes "Animals", "Plants and Fungi") and Krasnoyarsk (2000 - the volume "Animals"); in the Irkutsk region, including the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug (2001 - the volume "Plants and Fungi"), the Kemerovo Region (2000 - separate volumes "Animals", "Plants and Fungi"), the Novosibirsk Region (1998 - volume “Plants and fungi, 2000 - volume “Animals”), Tomsk (2002 - consolidated volume) and Chita region, including the Aginsky-Buryat Autonomous Okrug (2000 - volume “Animals”, 2002 - volume "Plants and fungi").

In the Republic of Buryatia, the Red Book (official) in the form of a consolidated volume was published in 1988. In 2002, the volume "Plants and Mushrooms" was published. As for the volume "Animals", it was published in 2004. In the Red Book of Buryatia: 140 animal species 139 plant species. Until they die out, but require control over their condition: 185 species of animals 282 species of plants and fungi.

The Red Book of the Irkutsk Region is an official document containing an annotated list of rare and endangered animals, plants and fungi of the Irkutsk Region, information about their condition and distribution, as well as the necessary protection measures. Established in 2008 on the basis of the Law of the Irkutsk region "On the Red Book of the Irkutsk region" (dated June 24, 2008 No. 30-oz).

	Name	Description
	probably disappeared	probably extinct plants, animals and other organisms that previously lived (grew) in the territory of the Irkutsk region and whose presence in nature has not been confirmed (for invertebrates - in the last 50 years, for vertebrates, plants and other organisms - in the last 25 years)
	endangered	endangered plants, animals and other organisms living (growing) in the Irkutsk region, the number of which has decreased to a critical level in such a way that they may disappear in the near future
	declining in numbers	plants, animals and other organisms living (growing) on the territory of the Irkutsk region, which are steadily declining in number and, if the impact of limiting factors continues, can quickly fall into the category of endangered (into category 1)
		rare plants, animals and other organisms with a naturally low abundance that live (grow) in the territory of the Irkutsk region and (or) are distributed in a limited territory of the Irkutsk region or are sporadically distributed in a large territory of the Irkutsk region
	undetermined by status	plants, animals and other organisms of undetermined status living (growing) on the territory of the Irkutsk region, which probably belong to one of the listed categories, but there is currently no sufficient information about their state in nature, or they do not fully comply with criteria for all other categories
	recoverable and recoverable	plants, animals and other organisms that live (grow) on the territory of the Irkutsk region, the number and distribution of which, under the influence of natural causes or as a result of the conservation measures taken, have begun to recover and are approaching a state where they will not need special conservation measures and recovery

We also note that the organization of fauna protection is built in two main areas - conservation and conservation in the process of use. Both directions are necessary and complement each other.

Intensive forestry, timber harvesting, if properly organized, ensures the preservation of habitat conditions in exploited forests for many species of animals and birds. Thus, gradual and selective felling of forests allows not only to restore forests, but also to preserve shelters, nesting and fodder grounds for many species of animals.

To enrich the fauna on a large scale, acclimatization and re-acclimatization of wild animals are carried out. Acclimatization is understood as work on the resettlement of animals in new biogeocenoses and their adaptation to new living conditions. Reacclimatization is a system of measures to restore animals destroyed in a particular region. Thanks to acclimatization, it is possible to make wider and more complete use of the bioresources of many natural complexes.

All measures for the protection of animals are quite effective if they are based on careful consideration of landscape and ecological conditions. In any kind of work on organizing the reproduction and exploitation of wild fauna, one should proceed from the fact that certain species and populations of animals are confined within their boundaries to specific natural territorial and aquatic complexes or their anthropogenic modifications. Many animals move through the seasons over considerable distances, but their migrations are always confined to strictly defined types of landscapes. Therefore, the protection of animals requires solving the problems of protecting natural territorial and aquatic complexes as a whole. The protection of animals is, first of all, the protection of their habitats.

The main task of protecting rare and endangered species is to increase their numbers by creating favorable living conditions, which would eliminate the danger of their extinction. This can include the creation of nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, which create favorable conditions for them.

The most important role in the conservation of biological diversity is played by the network of specially protected natural areas of Siberia - nature reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and natural monuments. There are 3 reserves, 2 national parks, 20 state hunting reserves in the Republic of Buryatia.

It is clear that it is impossible to preserve all kinds of plants and animals of Siberia, their unique communities with only specially protected natural areas. The success of nature conservation will largely depend on the level of ecological culture of the population, on people's awareness that the environment is our home. The well-being of our home is the well-being of each of us.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the wealth of the region must be preserved, and not only endangered species need protection. Siberia is still wild nature in all its pristine beauty today, despite the human intervention that is felt here too. Poachers and poor environmental conditions are a serious threat, but even worse is the indifference of people.

CONCLUSION

The more we know the patterns of life of biogeocenoses, the features of the ecology of individual species, the more useful animals turn out to be.

The growing threat of an ecological catastrophe on a global scale causes an awareness of the urgent need to rationalize environmental management and coordinate efforts in environmental protection and as an integral part of animal protection within the entire international community.

The activities of state, scientific and public organizations in Russia should be aimed at preserving all biological species. We must not forget that, according to scientists, in the next 20-30 years, about 1 million species of animals and plants will be under the threat of extinction. Preserving the gene pool of the biosphere, which took millions of years to develop, is one of the serious tasks of nature conservation.

Each species saved from death is a natural resource preserved for the national economy. The black list of the dead species of our planet is irretrievably lost opportunities to improve the well-being of mankind.

We can and must protect animals not only as a resource, but also in terms of a humane approach to this serious problem.

LISTLITERATURE

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Each species is adapted to its food. If its consumption increases, then natural reserves do not have time to recover. As a result, the amount of food begins to decrease. If, for example, a certain type of plant increases its nutrient intake, then the soil is depleted. Or some kind of animal eats favorite species of other animals or plants, then their numbers decrease accordingly.

Food is scarce and mortality is on the rise. Fertility is declining and numbers are declining. From time immemorial, not only plants and animals, but also people have been subjected to such influence. When the primitive hunters exhausted their hunting grounds, famine set in. In such a situation, the tribes reduced the birth rate and began to look for new fertile lands, but there they could be met by other tribes who were not going to share their hunting grounds.

In general, it should be noted that with the disappearance of the usual food, the species switches to a new food. But he is less physiologically adapted to it, since its quality is much worse. An example here is sea gulls. They used to eat fish, but now they eat garbage from ships. But the reason is not that they are easier to get, but simply that there are fewer fish due to global fishing.

Pollution is one form of environmental degradation. If the natural environment is balanced, then the results of the vital activity of one species are eliminated by others. Manure is taken away by insects, processed by bacteria and fungi. And when the balance is disturbed, pollution accumulates. The same person has always polluted the environment. But while there were few people, nature had time to destroy pollution.

However, modern humanity has increased the amount of pollution so much that nature no longer has time to cope with them. In addition, man began to produce pollutants that simply cannot be recycled. An example of this is radioactive waste. Therefore, the biosphere increasingly "refuses" to process the fruits of human activity, which can lead to a global catastrophe.

Epidemics contribute to the reduction in the number of species. For example, in rabbits, the number of which begins to increase rapidly, an epizootic (mass infection) occurs. As a result, the population is reduced by hundreds and even thousands of times. That is, the epizootic acts as a regulator of numbers. Humans have also been exposed to various epidemics over the centuries. So the plague that arose in the 14th century halved the population of Europe in 2 years. Today, well-known epidemics are successfully countered by medicine. Therefore, the biosphere is looking for other ways to influence people.

Even 30 years ago, the first forecasts of the demographic collapse that humanity is waiting for appeared. And how to avoid it? In nature, there are species that reduce the number in advance when it approaches the limit. At the same time, the biosphere assigns its biological capacity to each species. It is thanks to her that the population density is formed.

So in a pine forest there are few birds that build nests in hollows of trees, since hollows are almost never found in pines. But if you hang out the nest boxes, then this limiting factor will disappear. The number of birds nesting in hollows will begin to increase, but then stop, as it will rest on the amount of food. For territorial species, fertility is established in this way. For people at all times, the territory was also the main regulator of numbers.

Territoriality is the result of aggression. When population density rises sharply and there are problems with food and a comfortable existence, aggressive behavior begins to prevail over other forms of communication. As a result, people begin to wage wars with each other, which contributes to the rapid decline in numbers. In the animal world, the situation is similar, since the program is turned off not to encroach on what belongs to others.

In nature, when the reduction of the number of species becomes a vital necessity, an amazing mechanism is activated. Its essence lies in the implementation of an alternative program of behavior. Stressed animals have a generation that is not like their parents.

For example, under normal conditions, locusts exist according to the territorial principle: each male has its own plot. But when the population density increases, then the males begin to invade other people's territories. And then the locust lays eggs, from which the "marching" offspring appears. This generation has no territorial instinct. It gathers in a giant flock and begins to move somewhere. Sometimes it ends up in places that are not suitable for life at all, and dies. In birds and mammals, the situation is similar, but not so pronounced. But the goal of moving is the same: to throw extra individuals out of the biological capacity. Therefore, participants in mass movements become fearless and are not afraid to die collectively.

Crowding affects the decline in the number of species. One of its forms is urbanization, characteristic of people. In huge megacities, the birth rate falls in the second generation so much that it does not ensure reproduction. Here, as an example, we can cite such cities as New York, Mexico City, Moscow, Tokyo, Singapore, etc. It is urbanization that can become the most painless way to reduce the population.

The biosphere is very resourceful when it comes to species decline. In animals, it can change marital relationships and attitudes towards offspring. When the number of individuals increases, then the offspring ceases to be the main value for the entire population. Parents begin to avoid reproduction, lay eggs anywhere, reduce care for offspring and even devour them.

A similar phenomenon is observed in humans. One of its manifestations is the emancipation of women, through which many civilizations have passed. The consequence of emancipation is an increase in the proportion of single mothers. Such ladies have a minimum number of children, and fertility is half that of married women. The latter, during emancipation, also try to have as few children as possible.

So, there is every reason to believe that people, like animals, have mechanisms of self-regulation of fertility to maintain it at a reasonable optimal level. If 1 child is born in a family, then every 35 years the number will begin to halve. This is a sufficient pace for avoiding the ecological crisis associated with overpopulation of the planet.

It should be said that the ecological crisis is already underway. And it is happening globally, affecting the entire Earth. Therefore, the reduction in the number of species is of great importance for the biosphere. In the first place, of course, is the human community with a population of more than 7 billion people. Such a mass of people contributes to the rapid degradation of the natural habitat. And so the biosphere must protect itself. She has many ways, and there are both humane and cruel ones.

Animal world - this is a collection of all species and individuals of wild animals - mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, mollusks and other invertebrates that inhabit a certain territory or environment and are in a state of natural freedom.

One of the main ecological functions of animals is participation in the biotic cycle of matter and energy. The stability of ecosystems is provided primarily by animals as the most mobile element. All kinds of animals form the general genetic fund of the planet: they are all necessary and useful. In nature, there are no absolutely useful and absolutely harmful animals. It all depends on their number, living conditions and a number of other factors.

Man, having mastered fire and weapons, even in the early periods of its history began to exterminate animals. However, now the rate of extinction of species has increased dramatically, and more and more new species are being drawn into the orbit of the endangered, as a result of which the rate of spontaneous emergence of species is tens and even hundreds of times lower than the rate of species extinction. Therefore, there are simplifications of both individual ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole.

Main reasonsbiodiversity loss, population decline and extinction animals consist in violation of their habitat, excessive harvesting or fishing in prohibited areas, introduction (acclimatization) of alien species, direct destruction in order to protect products, accidental or unintentional destruction and pollution of the environment.

Habitat disturbance due to deforestation, plowing of steppes, drainage of marshes, regulation of runoff, creation of reservoirs and other anthropogenic impacts radically changes the conditions for the reproduction of wild animals, their migration routes, which has a very negative impact on their numbers and survival. For example, in the 60s and 70s 20th century at the cost of great efforts, the Kalmyk saiga population was restored and its number exceeded 700 thousand heads. Currently, there are significantly fewer saigas in the Kalmyk steppes, and their reproductive potential has been lost. The reasons are intensive overgrazing of livestock, the use of wire fences, the development of a network of irrigation canals that cut off the natural migration routes of animals, as a result of which thousands of saigas drown in the canals on their way.

Harvesting refers to any removal of animals from the natural environment for various purposes. Excessive production is the main reason for the decline, for example, in the number of large mammals (elephants, rhinos, etc.) in Africa and Asia: the high cost of ivory on the world market leads to the annual death of about 60 thousand elephants. Hundreds of thousands of small songbirds are sold annually in the bird markets of large Russian cities. The international trade in wild birds exceeds seven million, most of which die either on the road or shortly after arrival.

The introduction (acclimatization) of alien species also leads to a reduction in the number and extinction of animal species. Often, local species are on the verge of extinction due to the invasion of "aliens". There are known examples of the negative impact of the American mink on the European mink, the Canadian beaver on the European, the muskrat on the desman. However, it is considered possible to introduce new species into depleted anthropogenic ecosystems to balance them. It is quite acceptable, for example, the introduction of herbivorous fish - silver carp, grass carp - into artificial channels, where they prevent their overgrowth.

Others The reasons for the decline in the number and disappearance of animals are:

Their direct destruction to protect agricultural products and commercial objects (death of birds of prey, ground squirrels, pinnipeds, coyotes, etc.).
Accidental (unintentional) destruction on roads, during military operations, when mowing grass, on power lines, when regulating water flow, etc.
Environmental pollution with pesticides, oil and oil products, air pollutants, lead and other toxicants.

For example, as a result of the construction of hydrotechnical dams in the channel of the Volga River, spawning grounds for salmon and anadromous herring have been completely eliminated, and the area of distribution of sturgeon fish has decreased to 400 hectares, which is 12% of the former spawning fund in the Vol-go-Akhtuba floodplain. In the central regions of Russia, 12-15% of field game perishes when haying by hand, 25-30% when using horse-drawn mowers, and 30-40% when hay is harvested mechanically. In general, the death of game in the fields during agricultural work is seven to ten times higher than the volume of its prey by hunters.

The earth is teeming with life: thousands of species of vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, fish and birds); invertebrates (insects, crustaceans and protozoa); trees, flowers, shrubs and herbs; a bewildering array of bacteria, algae, and other single-celled organisms that inhabit some of the red-hot vents of deep-sea volcanoes. And yet, this rich abundance of flora and fauna seems insignificant compared to the ecosystems of the deep past: it is estimated that since the beginning of life on Earth, 99.9% of all species have become extinct.

Why? You can get some idea of the main reasons for the disappearance of animals from the face of the Earth by reading the following 10 points.

This is the first thing that most people associate with the word "animal extinction", and with good reason, since we all know about the consequences of an asteroid impact on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which led to the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. It is likely that many of the Earth's mass extinctions are caused by similar events, and astronomers are constantly on the lookout for comets or meteorites that could destroy human civilization.

Even in the absence of the impact of a large asteroid or comet, which could potentially lead to a significant drop in temperature, climate change poses a constant threat to most animals. We need to look no further than at the end of the last ice age, about 11,000 years ago, when various megafauna were unable to adapt to rapidly rising temperatures (they also suffered from lack of food and hunting by humans).

We all know about the long-term threats of global warming - the gift of modern civilization!

3. Diseases

While it is unusual for a disease to wipe out an entire species on its own, due to lack of prey, habitat loss, and lack of genetic diversity, the introduction of a particularly deadly virus or bacterium at the wrong time can cause irreparable damage. Evidence for this theory can be found among amphibians that fall prey to a fungal infection that infects the skin of frogs, toads, newts and salamanders, killing them within weeks. Also illustrative is the plague pandemic, which claimed the lives of more than a third of the population of Europe in the Middle Ages.

Most animal species need a certain area in which they can forage for food, reproduce and raise offspring, and (if necessary) expand their population. One bird can be satisfied with a branch of a tall tree, while large predatory mammals (for example, Bengal tigers) measure their possessions in square kilometers. As human civilization inexorably expands into the wild, natural habitats shrink, thereby limiting and reducing animal populations, making them more susceptible to the effects of the other extinction factors listed in this article.

5. Lack of genetic diversity

Once a species has declined, there is little choice of free partners, and a corresponding lack of genetic diversity. This means that it is much better to marry a complete stranger than a cousin, as you risk getting genetically unhealthy and disease-susceptible offspring. A good example is the African cheetah, suffering from drastic population decline from low genetic diversity, thereby reducing the species' resilience to survival.

6. Adapt to a changing environment

This is where we run the risk of succumbing to a dangerous tautology: by definition, "more adapted" populations always take precedence over those that lag behind, but it is often not known exactly who is better adapted. For example, no one would have thought that prehistoric mammals were better adapted than dinosaurs until the Earth hit an asteroid. As a rule, it takes thousands, and sometimes millions of years, to determine the more adapted species, but the fact is that the vast majority of animals die out in such a period of time.

7. Invasive Species

While most species struggle to survive for eons (a span of time in geological history), sometimes natural selection is more bloody and one-sided. If a plant or animal from one ecosystem is accidentally moved to another, it can spread at a wild rate, resulting in the destruction of native populations. That's why American botanists wince at the mention of kudzu, a weed that was introduced from Japan in the late 19th century and is now spreading at a rate of 150,000 hectares a year, crowding out native vegetation.

8. Lack of food

Mass starvation is a fast, one-way, and surefire road to extinction, especially since populations weakened by starvation are more vulnerable to disease and predators. For example, imagine that scientists have found a way to permanently eliminate malaria by wiping out all mosquitoes from the face of the earth. At first glance, this may seem like good news to people, but remember the domino effect. All creatures that feed on mosquitoes (such as bats and frogs) will die out, followed by animals that feed on bats and frogs, and so on down the food chain. Agree, not the most prosperous scenario.

9. Pollution

Marine animals such as fish, seals, corals and crustaceans are extremely sensitive to traces of toxic chemicals in lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. The drastic change in oxygen levels caused by industrial pollution can lead to the extinction of many aquatic animal populations. While there is no evidence to support the extinction of entire species from environmental disasters (such as an oil spill), continued exposure to pollution can make plants and animals more susceptible to other threats on this list.

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Humans have only colonized the Earth in the last 50,000 years, so it's unfair to blame Homo sapens for the extinction of most animal species. However, there is no doubt that we have caused ecological devastation in a short period of time by wiping out entire animal species.

Are we wise enough now to stop our reckless behavior? Time will tell!