According to Article 2 in the Convention on Biological Diversity, biodiversity or biological biodiversity means “the variability among living organisms from all sources including, among others, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part of; also including diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems”.

Biodiversity is responsible for the balance and stability of ecosystems. Its ecological functions are just beginning to be better understood, but it is considered that biodiversity is responsible for the natural process of the ecosystems and species that sustain life forms and transform the biosphere, thereby rendering it suitable and safe for life. 

Currently, there have been about two million species identified on the planet, but the exact number of species is still unknown. It is estimated that there are between five and 100 million living species on Earth. Just in Brazil , there is around 20% of these species, distributed in different ecosystems, such as the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna), the Caatinga (semi arid region) and the Amazon Forest, the largest rainforest in the world.

On the other hand, Brazil has the highest deforestation rate in the world. As a result, there is increased erosion, endangered streams and air quality, reduced biodiversity, all of which influence climate change and global warming. 

According to the list of Threatened Brazilian Flora and Fauna Species, published in 2008, 627 animal species (130 terrestrial invertebrates, 16 amphibians, 20 reptiles, 160 birds, 69 mammals, 78 aquatic invertebrates and 154 fish) and 472 plant species in Brazil are in danger of extinction.

In addition to its intrinsic value, the planet’s biodiversity has ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic value. Due to its paramount importance, we must prevent its destruction. Preserving the biodiversity requires significant investments in projects, government actions, nongovernmental organizations, enterprises and, especially, the need for each individual’s awareness and action regarding their role in Brazil’s biodiversity conservation, as well as throughout the planet Earth.

Continuing the monitoring activities and the biological study of the Brazilian Merganser, the third campaign of capture and marking of the species was held in September, 2009.

Eight individuals from two different families were captured in the São Francisco River, three of which had already been captured and banded last year. The others were young birds of about 70 days of age. Two of these birds received radio transmitters and are being monitored. The recapture of these individuals was extremely important to assess the general state of the birds, since one of the goals of the third year was to perform this assessment after a year of using the band.
 
Fortunately, we evidenced that the three individuals recaptured were in good physical conditions, with their weights similar to that of the previous year. The tarsus, where the bands are located, was also in perfect conditions.
 
Such favorable results solidify the ongoing marking activity of the Brazilian Merganser, which seeks even more important information for the conservation of the species.
 
Terra Brasilis is monitoring and will continue the capturing and marking of the Brazilian Mergansers at the Peixe and São Francisco Rivers, where the mergs are mischievously playing tricks on the team.