Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity. From the tropics to the poles, all ecosystems seem to be affected. A study published in the journal Nature indicates that 15-37% of animal and plant species may be at risk of extinction due to anthropogenic climate change. Ecosystems provide goods and services that are crucial to people's well-being. This is more true for overseas collectivities, whose populations are predominantly rural and depend largely on natural resources for their livelihoods. The ecosystem services provided to people are of several types, covering several areas of the active society. Island ecosystems are fragile balances and are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic aggression. About 75% of animal species extinctions and 90% of bird species extinctions recorded over the past 400 years have occurred on islands. Island ecosystems have evolved in an isolated and relatively protected way, so they are particularly fragile in the face of changes in the environment, and especially to some species introduced by man, against which they developed no resistance. Historically, the natural ecosystems of overseas communities have been largely degraded following the first colonization to make room for crops or human settlements. For example, several natural forests were almost entirely converted to sugar cane plantations in the 19th century; this culture has also had a strong impact on ecosystems throughout the Caribbean. More recently, the direct destruction of habitats has intensified due to the significant population expansion that characterizes the majority of overseas communities, and the intense development of tourism.

climate change, biodiversity, Caribbean, ecosystems

environmental engineering

Presentation: poster