Ecosystem Changes, Biodiversity Loss and Human Well-Being

Human well-being is deeply connected with biodiversity.From subsistence communities to highly developed urbancommunities, everyone needs food, clean water and air,fibers, fuel, medicines, and environmental stability. Eco-systems provide these services and biodiversity sustainsecosystems and their processes.As the world population and consumption patternsper capita increase, so do the demand for natural re-sources (e.g., wood and fish) and the impacts of humanactivities on natural habitats. Impacts might be direct(e.g., habitat destruction for urbanization) or indirect(e.g., carbon emissions that cause global warming),but they all lead to biodiversity loss and consequentlythreaten ecosystems balance and human well-being.Human well-being is an inclusive concept that embracesnot only the physical and mental components of humanhealth but also social well-being and freedom of choice.