[No. 014] Technics and Civilization: Crises – Biodiversity and Habitat Loss

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, including the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems. It is important for maintaining the health and stability of the planet’s ecosystems and for providing essential resources and services to humans and other species, such as food, clean water, and medicines. However, extinction rates for species today are far beyond the background ‘normal’ rates for nature extinction, with approximately 200 or more species per day going extinct, and that number can reach up to 10,000 per month. This loss of biodiversity and habitat has significant consequences for both humans and the environment, as it can lead to the collapse of ecosystems and disrupt ecosystem functions.

Prairie dogs are small mammals that live on North America’s prairies and open grasslands in only a fraction of their former numbers. They live in underground burrows, which have defined nurseries, sleeping quarters, and even toilets, as well as listening posts near exits to keep tabs on the movements of predators outside. Prairie dogs are an integral part of the bioregion in Colorado that leads up to the Rocky Mountains called the Front Range. However, they are under threat due to mass exterminations of prairie dog colonies along the Colorado Front Range, which has led to the destruction of the last remaining prairie communities.

The loss of prairie dog populations and their habitats is an example of the larger issue of biodiversity and habitat loss. Protecting and conserving biodiversity and habitats is crucial for maintaining the health and sustainability of our planet. Organizations such as Prairie Protection Colorado advocate for prairie dogs and healthy prairie biomes by drawing attention to the mass exterminations of prairie dog colonies and by organizing and resisting the destruction of the last remaining prairie communities. [Chat GPT with our assistance]

Deanna Meyer is the director of Prairie Protection Colorado and an anthropologist working on biodiversity and habitat destruction. She is also an organic farmer  and long-time environmental activist. 

Layne Hartsell, MSc, PhD is a board member at the Korea IT Times and a research professor at the Asia Institute in Tokyo and Berlin. He has worked as a research professor at Sungkyunkwan University and the Advanced Institute for Nanotechnology and Sookmyung Women’s University in South Korea; and at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.