On June 15, 2024, Dr. ZHOU Jinfeng, Secretary General of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), attended the academic seminar “From the Caspian Sea to China: Literature, Technology, and Social Life” and delivered a keynote speech entitled “The Fourth Civilization Research and Green Belt and Road”.
Zhou Jinfeng used the round-trip migration of Beijing swifts(Apus apus) from Beijing to South Africa as an example. Every year, Beijing swifts travel from Beijing through Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Mongolia, Central Asia, and finally arrive in Africa. This long migration journey plays an important role in ecological balance.
Scientific research shows that the DNA of Beijing swifts is highly similar to that of European swifts, indicating that they were originally the same group and later differentiated due to changes in living conditions. The migration route of Beijing swifts is not simply a survival need, but a part of the Earth’s life community. Migratory birds not only carry genetic inheritance during migration, but also play an important role in the ecosystems of different regions.
However, the number of Beijing swifts has dropped sharply, which is related to the reduction and loss of habitats. This includes the reduction of old-style eaves houses suitable for swifts to nest and reproduce during the modernization process of Beijing. This reduction and change of building structures not only affects the ecological balance in the Beijing area, but may also cause wider impacts. For example, during their stay in Africa, Beijing swifts help control the number of flying ants. If they disappear, it may trigger a crisis in the African ecosystem and have a series of impacts on the entire Earth’s life community.
Biodiversity loss is one of the major challenges facing the world today. Zhou Jinfeng pointed out that protecting the habitat and living environment of Beijing swifts is not only a local environmental protection issue, but also the key to global ecological balance and biodiversity.
Original article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/grpWJTwIL7RbXfeI5lkzug
Translator:Daisy
Checked by Sara
Editor: Daisy
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