Indicators By Theme
Pressures On Biodiversity
State of Ecosystems and Species
Conservation ResponseConsumption
While discrete threats to biodiversity can be identified (e.g., the loss of forest habitat to urban development), the overall unsustainable use of biological resources – driven by human population levels and consumption patterns – represents a suite of cumulative stresses on biodiversity and is the overarching factor driving biodiversity loss.
Habitat Loss
Habitat loss and fragmentation are widely recognized as the main causes of increased species extinction, and are the most important conservation issues in the world today. They are major threats to biodiversity across Canada and around the world.
Invasive Species
Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity. With very little limiting their distribution and abundance, invasive species can devastate native species and ecosystems. Invasive species often act together with threats such as habitat loss and climate change to accelerate the loss of Ontario’s biodiversity.
Pollution
Pollution can have serious effects on biodiversity. Pollutants can kill organisms outright or can cause chronic impacts that affect reproduction or other life processes. Pollutants can also result in systematic changes that degrade habitats and negatively impact ecosystem services.
Climate Change
Climate change is an increasingly important factor in biodiversity conservation. It is affecting the distribution of species, the timing of natural events (e.g., flowering and breeding times) and interactions between species. Stresses from habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and invasive species, may make species and ecosystems less able to adapt to climate change.