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overharvesting
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
A bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus) with its mouth open is hooked on a fishing longline, partially out of the water next to a boat in the ocean. Side-by-side illustration comparing an ecosystem before and after the removal of top carnivores. The left panel shows a balanced landscape with wolves, bears, foxes, diverse birds, and a variety of plants, while the right panel shows an ecosystem dominated by large herbivores like elk and deer, fewer predators, reduced plant variety, and less songbird diversity. sea otter African elephant (Loxodonta africana) standing on grassy plain with distant trees and hills in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. World map highlighting Earth's terrestrial biodiversity hot spots in red, showing regions with exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism. These hot spots are distributed across parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mediterranean basin, Africa, Madagascar, South and Southeast Asia, and islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as select areas in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. A river flows beside a barren area scattered with tree stumps, showing deforestation or drought effects; a dense forest stands in the background. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) swimming underwater, showing its speckled brown body, white lateral line, and barbel under the chin. Diagram illustrating the main drivers of biodiversity loss, with arrows pointing from habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, and climate change toward a section labeled biodiversity loss, alongside influencers such as human population growth and increased consumption.

overharvesting: References & Edit History

More Articles On This Topic

  • biodiversity loss
    / Human-driven biodiversity loss
  • extinction
    / Human-induced extinctions
  • conservation
    / Overharvesting
  • cycad
    / Major species and uses
  • endangered species
    / Human beings and endangered species
  • environmental policy
    / History of environmental policy making
  • humpback whale
    / Conservation status
  • Postcards from the 6th Mass Extinction

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Michele Metych

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

  • Melissa Petruzzello

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
New article added.
  • Melissa Petruzzello
  • Michele Metych
May 05, 2023
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By:
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