HIPPO
Many different factors contribute to the destruction of biodiversity on Earth. Scientists have come up with a list of factors that can be summarized by the acronym "HIPPO":

Habitat Destruction
From clear cutting ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest to the pollution that runs into our streams, human activity has had devastating effects on many habitats around the world. Habitat destruction - along with introduced species - pose the most threats to biodiversity.

Introduced Species
Due to the delicate balance of nature, when a new plant or animal is taken from its natural environment and introduced into a new ecosystem, the effects can be drastic. Some native plants and animals are decimated while others may flourish to higher-than-average levels due to the new introduced species.

Humans sometimes introduce new species into an environment by accident. For instance, the European zebra mussels hitched rides on cargo and cruise ships and now pose a great threat to the health of the Great Lakes and other northeastern United States lakes. Native mussels have been nearly eliminated from the western basin of Lake Erie by the zebra mussels.

In Washington state, there are currently over 200 species of "exotic" plants and trees that threaten the plants and animals native to the state.

Visit splash.metrokc.gov/wlr/lands/weeds/ to find out more about King County's noxious weeds control program

www.nbii.gov/invasive is a site devoted to introduced species in the U.S.

www.wnps.org/eppclist.htm offers a comprehensive list of "exotic" plants in the Pacific Northwest.

Pollution
Pesticides, oils, heavy metals and common household chemicals run off into our waterways and affect the salmon and other wildlife in Washington state.

Visit http://www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/ to find out ways to keep hazardous waste from polluting our environment.

Population Growth
With the world's population estimated to double within the next 12 years, more people means increased use of natural resources, possible increase in habitat destruction and more waste generated.

Visit http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/orpp/agr/agr99 to see what the projected growth in King County will be in the next 20 years.

Over-consumption
Although the United States accounts for less than 5% of the world's population, Americans consume over 25% of the world's resources. We use more natural resources and produce more waste per capita than any other nation.

Visit four different ecosystems
and their diminishing
biodiversity.

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