Cultural diversity
New Zealand’s biodiversity is very unique. Since New Zealand is an island, it houses many species found nowhere else in the world. This is an important aspect for New Zealand’s economy and tourist numbers, but it also means that New Zealand is very vulnerable when it comes to extinction of many different living species.
Unfortunately New Zealand is experiencing a serious decline in its native biodiversity. This can be due to natural adaptation eliminations, but the majority of threats come with the arrival of humans. New Zealand was one of the last countries to be inhabited by humans so when it was settled, it was settled by very large numbers of people in very short time period. Although New Zealand has such a short history, it also has “one of the worst records of native biodiversity loss” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). It is very safe to say that New Zealand is experiencing changes in cultural diversity.
The settlement of humans has a domino effect on nature, “fire, land clearance, overexploitation of resources, and introduced plants and animals have a cumulative effect on native biodiversity” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). As a result of human interference with nature, dozens of species have gone extinct in such a short periods of time as well as more and more species becoming threatened with extinction. New Zealand’s current extinction status states this, “32 percent of endemic land and freshwater birds, 3 out of 64 reptile species, and 11 out of 2399 known vascular plants” and their threatened species include, “800 animal, plans and fungi species and 200 subspecies” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). Even though New Zealand has many threats to their many special and unique species, there are many efforts to preserve the biodiversity in their country. The efforts of New Zealand to protect their biodiversity are very important because of the connection between the natural environment and the culture of the country.
Just how New Zealand has a wide array of diversity when it comes to its biodiversity, there is also a wide array of diversity in its people. The natural environment in the past as well as in the present has influenced the culture of the country. Just how New Zealand prides itself on a variety of species, it prides itself of its diversity of cultures among their human population. In the past, New Zealand had two major immigration groups, first the Maori with their rats and dogs and then the Europeans with their rats, pigs, and goats. The introduction of these animals to the country proved to be a factor in the biodiversity of the country. The non-native animals easily rid the country of beloved native species. Ever since the first inhabitant of humans to New Zealand, the biodiversity as well as the cultural diversity have gone hand in hand.
Unfortunately New Zealand is experiencing a serious decline in its native biodiversity. This can be due to natural adaptation eliminations, but the majority of threats come with the arrival of humans. New Zealand was one of the last countries to be inhabited by humans so when it was settled, it was settled by very large numbers of people in very short time period. Although New Zealand has such a short history, it also has “one of the worst records of native biodiversity loss” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). It is very safe to say that New Zealand is experiencing changes in cultural diversity.
The settlement of humans has a domino effect on nature, “fire, land clearance, overexploitation of resources, and introduced plants and animals have a cumulative effect on native biodiversity” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). As a result of human interference with nature, dozens of species have gone extinct in such a short periods of time as well as more and more species becoming threatened with extinction. New Zealand’s current extinction status states this, “32 percent of endemic land and freshwater birds, 3 out of 64 reptile species, and 11 out of 2399 known vascular plants” and their threatened species include, “800 animal, plans and fungi species and 200 subspecies” ("New zealand biodiversity," n.d.). Even though New Zealand has many threats to their many special and unique species, there are many efforts to preserve the biodiversity in their country. The efforts of New Zealand to protect their biodiversity are very important because of the connection between the natural environment and the culture of the country.
Just how New Zealand has a wide array of diversity when it comes to its biodiversity, there is also a wide array of diversity in its people. The natural environment in the past as well as in the present has influenced the culture of the country. Just how New Zealand prides itself on a variety of species, it prides itself of its diversity of cultures among their human population. In the past, New Zealand had two major immigration groups, first the Maori with their rats and dogs and then the Europeans with their rats, pigs, and goats. The introduction of these animals to the country proved to be a factor in the biodiversity of the country. The non-native animals easily rid the country of beloved native species. Ever since the first inhabitant of humans to New Zealand, the biodiversity as well as the cultural diversity have gone hand in hand.
photos
reference list
Centre for biodiversity and biosecurity. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cbb.org.nz/
Culture of new zealand. (11, 26 11). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_New_Zealand
Guy. (2012, March 23). Maori cultural performance at the auckland museum. Retrieved from http://www.gorentals.co.nz/blog/
index.php/2012/03/23/maori-cultural-performance-at-the-auckland-museum/
New zealand biodiversity. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/picture/biodiversity/state/index.html
Culture of new zealand. (11, 26 11). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_New_Zealand
Guy. (2012, March 23). Maori cultural performance at the auckland museum. Retrieved from http://www.gorentals.co.nz/blog/
index.php/2012/03/23/maori-cultural-performance-at-the-auckland-museum/
New zealand biodiversity. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/picture/biodiversity/state/index.html