Final answer:
Fertilizers can cause reduction in biodiversity by creating dead zones in aquatic systems due to eutrophication, facilitating the invasion of exotic species, and contributing to habitat destruction and deforestation. The excessive nutrients from fertilizers affect the overall health of soil and ecosystems, which is essential for maintaining biodiversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effects of fertilizers on the reduction of biodiversity mainly stem from their influence on ecosystems and natural habitats. When fertilizers containing high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus are overused or applied carelessly, these substances can leach into natural water systems, leading to eutrophication. This process causes dense growth of plant life, particularly algae, which depletes the oxygen in the water, leading to hypoxic conditions that can kill aquatic fauna. This is known as a 'dead zone' and can have devastating effects on marine life and ecosystems.
Furthermore, excessive use of fertilizers can disrupt soil composition, facilitating the invasion of exotic plant species and thus altering the structure and composition of vegetation. This often leads to monoculture growth, reinforcing genetic homogeneity and contributing to the loss of crop and species diversity. Excessive nutrients can also affect terrestrial ecosystems by causing changes in litter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the overall health of soil, which is crucial for diverse biological communities.
It's also significant to consider that synthetic fertilizers can indirectly cause biodiversity loss by promoting habitat destruction and deforestation to accommodate agricultural expansion. This leads to the reduction of natural habitats, negatively impacting forest-interior bird species, and other fauna. Conservation biologists suggest that understanding and mitigating the impacts of fertilizer use, including potential endocrine disruption, is imperative for biodiversity conservation over the long term.