There is no just one cause of the change in the biodiversity in Ireland.

There are
actually some great causes like, a lot of pollution and litter, an increase in land usages
and an even biggest increase in infrastructure development both of which are caused by
humans and can be controlled by human activity. An example of this is the upland
open habitats, such as rough grassland, scrub and heath, that have been changed by
agriculture and afforestation (Threats to Biodiversity). There also is a huge problem
with the intensive farming practices. For Ireland this is the extensive use and
concentrations of chemical and biological pesticides and the removal of hedgerows are
typical practices in modern-day intensive farming (Threats to Biodiversity). And lastly,
climate change has a big impact because the as global air and sea temperature changes,
even by just one or two degrees, the habitats in which species live will also change and
may even become uninhabitable to some species (Threats to Biodiversity).
For Ireland the biodiversity is
very important to the countries
representation, a lot of the tourist go to
look at the beautiful scenery the country
has to offer. They have about 815
flowering plants, about 80 native ferns,
more than 700 mosses and liverworts, 3,500 fungi, over 1,000 lichens and 1,400 algae
(Biodiversity in Ireland), and that is just for the plants they have to offer. They also have
many different types of animals it is said to have 32 terrestrial mammals, ten bat species,
two species of seals and about 24 whales and dolphins. As well as about 425 species of

birds have been recorded in Ireland, and about half of these birds breed there
(Biodiversity in Ireland).
Ireland also has an extensive coastline that is very rich in biodiversity and
should not be forgotten, including the surrounding seas. With that in mind there is a
huge array of life in Irelands seas, most of which the Irish may never see, or have
never seen. But what we do know is that it unfortunately, is being negatively affected
in a variety of ways, including overfishing, coastal activities and pollution are some
examples, and so it is important that our marine habitats are also protected
(Biodiversity in Ireland).
Many of these species that were mentioned before
are already under threat and even some are even
endangered. Species that are non-native to a
particular area can sometimes spread very quickly,
and when these species can destabilize an
ecosystem by altering habitats affecting food webs, including there presents and their
extinctions. A huge problem in Ireland is the freshwater pearl mussel, this mussel lives
in Irish rivers and is Irelands longest living animal, and is currently facing extinction
(Biodiversity in Ireland). This is a huge deal, because these animals do not live anywhere
else in the world. This mussel is important because they play an essential role in
salmonid fish, the freshwater pearl is what feeds them, and these salmonid fish are the
conservation of salmon and trout (Freshwater pearl mussel), which is also the central to
what Ireland eats, making it a full cycle of the food chain.

There are several ways that Ireland is trying to stop the destruction of its
biodiversity. The main two actions that they are looking to complete in the next few
years is to increase the levels of awareness throughout the school and wider
community and if possible, increase the number of native species and the species
diversity in the school's environs (Biodiversity Action Plan).
For the culture of Ireland it is changing but not necessarily due to the change in
the plant and animal life. If anything the animal and plant life is changing with the
culture. This is because as they grow and become a more powerful country, and expect
more things they are ruining the environment more. Basically, there are changes but not
any that go hand in hand with each other.

Biodiversity Action Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from

http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/biodiversity-and-the-7-steps/biodiversity-actionplan.403.html

Biodiversity in Ireland. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from

http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/biodiversity/biodiversity-in-ireland.366.html

Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera). (n.d.). Retrieved December 2,

2014, from http://www.arkive.org/freshwater-pearl-mussel/margaritifera-margaritifera/

Threats to Biodiversity. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from

http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/biodiversity/threats-to-biodiversity.365.html