page_title: Island ecology
section_title: Habitat destruction
hierarchical_section_title: Island ecology / Ecological processes on islands / Habitat destruction
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Satellitenaufnahme der Osterinsel, aufgenommen von der Internationalen Raumstation ISS am 25. September 2002 English: Astronauts aboard the International Space Station viewed Easter Island, one of the most remote locations on Earth. Easter Island is more than 2000 miles from the closest populations on Tahiti and Chile—even more remote than astronauts orbiting at 210 n.mi. above the Earth. The island is less than 15 miles long
context_page_description: Island ecology is the study of island organisms and their interactions with each other and the environment. Islands account for nearly 1/6 of earth’s total land area, yet the ecology of island ecosystems is vastly different from that of mainland communities. Their isolation and high availability of empty niches lead to increased speciation. As a result, island ecosystems comprise 30% of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, 50% of marine tropical diversity, and some of the most unusual and rare species. Many species still remain unknown.
  The diversity of species on islands is highly impacted by human activities such as deforestation and introduction of the exotic species. In response, ecologists and managers are directing attention towards conservation and restoration of island species. Because they are simple systems, islands provide an opportunity to study processes of extinction that can be extrapolated to larger ecosystems.
context_section_description: The depletion of natural resources can have dramatic effects on island ecology.  On Easter Island, the depletion of the forest by humans not only resulted in widespread loss of species, but also the collapse of the island civilization.  
   Today there are over 500 million people on islands, all dependent on local resources either directly (traditional use) or indirectly (ecotourism revenue).  Population growth and development result in heavy deforestation, pollution, and over-exploitation.  Overharvesting of ocean fauna is particularly troubling as yields of coral reef fish species are an important food source for island populations.
caption: Easter Island has been a site of dramatic ecological change.
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