The biggest threat to wildlife on Earth is losing the places they live. Nature can recover from a lot. After a storm, a fire, or a bad year, a population usually climbs back up to whatever number the land can support, which scientists call the carrying capacity. But when people clear, drain, or pave a piece of land, the carrying capacity itself drops, for every species at once. Yes, pigeons thrive in cities and toads hang out under streetlights. A few species making it through is not the same as a healthy ecosystem. People do not only take habitat away.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
