Taking Nature's Pulse - Biodiversity BC

introductionand grasslands to pasture and crops. Resource extraction places a variety of pressures on biodiversity, particularlythrough ecosystem conversion and ecosystem degradation, environmental contamination and speciesdisturbance, while other human activities impact biodiversity through direct species mortality and introductionof alien species. Recently, changes in climate as the result of human activities have begun to affect biodiversityin the province in unprecedented and often unpredictable ways.Nevertheless, British Columbia still has wild places and is considered to be globally important to the conservationof many species and ecosystems. Its rugged terrain and short industrial history, which began with thearrival of European explorers 200 years ago, have limited human activity in much of the province. As a result,sensitive species and ecosystems that have been lost elsewhere are still found in B.C.Biodiversity, however, is more than just the sum of its parts. 5 Species and ecosystems are connected throughnumerous natural processes. All elements of biodiversity, regardless of whether we understand their roles orknow their status, play a role in maintaining functioning, evolving, resilient ecosystems. Maintaining the integrity,evolutionary potential and resilience of our natural systems will facilitate their ability to adapt, particularlyin the face of rapid climate change.Biodiversity supplies a host of benefits and services that are essential to the well-being of humans andnon-humans alike. This natural capital, which depends on maintaining native species and ecosystems and thefunctions they perform, supports the high quality of life British Columbians have come to enjoy.The mountainous terrain of B.C. has limited human habitationand development – indicated in Map 1 by the presence of roads andother linear development features such as power lines – in muchof the province. Roads or other linear features are present in 79%of the analysis units below 1,000 m in elevation and in 43%of the analysis units above 1,000 m. aaSee “About This Report” (p. XXVII) for an explanation of analysis units. For details of methods,see The Biodiversity Atlas of British Columbia, available at: www.biodiversitybc.org.