Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

Biodiversity and Human Values

Biodiversity and Human Values

Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.

Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

What is Evolutionary History?

What is Evolutionary History?

Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.

What is Conservation Biology?

What is Conservation Biology?

Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Squirrels reduce post-fire regeneration potential in serotinous pines.

Annals of botany·2026

Same author

Divergent population trajectories despite similar response to temperature in a widespread aerial insectivore.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

A global research coordination programme is urgently needed for biodiversity.

Nature ecology & evolution·2026

Same author

Urbanisation Favours Ground Beetle (Carabidae) Species That Prefer Dry Soils and Have Reduced Dispersal Capacity.

Ecology and evolution·2026

Same author

Key agroecosystems for the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Europe.

Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·2026

Same author

Introducing a Stay, Shift, Go Framework for Behavioral Responses to Wildfire Smoke: American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Locomotory Behavior Changes as Particle Pollution Intensifies.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

Fire and biodiversity in the Anthropocene.

Luke T Kelly¹, Katherine M Giljohann², Andrea Duane³

¹School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. ltkelly@unimelb.edu.au.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|November 20, 2020

Summary

Fire is crucial for biodiversity, but human activities like climate change are altering fire patterns. Conservation efforts must integrate human impacts and fire regimes to protect species and ecosystems from extinction.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Published on: April 5, 2024

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Published on: November 14, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Published on: April 5, 2024

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Published on: November 14, 2017

Area of Science:

Ecology
Conservation Biology
Environmental Science

Background:

Fire is a natural evolutionary driver of global biodiversity.
Anthropogenic factors, including climate change, land use, and invasive species, are significantly altering fire regimes.
These changes pose substantial threats to species survival and terrestrial ecosystem integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the impacts of altered fire activity on biodiversity and ecosystems.
To emphasize the critical role of fire in conservation strategies.
To advocate for integrating human activities and fire regimes in conservation planning.

Main Methods:

Literature review of scientific studies on fire ecology and anthropogenic impacts.
Analysis of how changing fire regimes affect species extinction risks.
Synthesis of current understanding on human-environment interactions concerning fire.

Main Results:

Altered fire regimes driven by human activities are a major threat to global biodiversity.
Terrestrial ecosystems are undergoing significant transformations due to these changes.
Current conservation approaches may be insufficient without explicit consideration of fire's role.

Conclusions:

Recognizing and responding to the critical role of fire is essential for conserving Earth's biological diversity.
Conservation planning in the Anthropocene must explicitly incorporate the combined effects of human activities and fire regimes.
Integrating human-fire-ecosystem connections is vital for developing effective biodiversity forecasts and conservation actions.