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Biodiversity refers to “the variation at all levels of biological organization”
(Gaston and Spicer, 2003, p
...
The loss of biodiversity is due to a combination of
multiple factors such as the emission of greenhouse gases, overpopulation,
overexploitation and much more
...
These issues are explored by all types of medias, in different ways, but
with the common aim to understand why biodiversity loss is occurring at a faster rate
than natural and to understand its consequences
...
Peer-reviewed articles can either be very specific or broad
...
(2006) specifically discuss its effects on humans whereas Chapin et al
...

These articles can be written by multiple authors: Cardinale et al
...
This collaboration between experts provides an in depth analysis of
the subject and detailed information
...



References are numerous which gives the reader a possibility for further

readings that relate to the same topic; for example, the consequences of biodiversity loss
listed by Myers and Knoll (2001) are each followed by multiple references, which gives a
reliable aspect to the article
...
Also, the availability of such
material is limited
...

The extent of influence of an article is hence restricted
...
In addition, information can often be out of date once one reads the text
in both books and peer-reviewed article (the latter can take around 3 years from the



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moment it is completed and its publishing)
...
(1995) is still relevant
today, some data used is out of date (like the numbers of extinct species) due to the
publication year
...

A book will provide more general information than peer-reviewed article: it will,
like most NGO reports, introduce the main topic whereas peer-reviewed articles usually
assume that the reader has already acquired the basic information
...
(1995) not only explore the direct effects
of diversity loss but also the indirect ones that are not usually observed
...


In comparison to peer-reviewed articles and academic books, newspaper articles
are more accessible, which is a significant advantage
...

They translate complicated issues such as biodiversity loss into more accessible
and understandable information
...
However, journalists writing newspaper articles are not
necessarily experts in the field and this implies that information is not specific and
sometimes even incorrect
...

Newspapers also tend to either be left or right wing and have agendas, in similar ways to
NGOs, and one must keep that in mind when getting information from such category of
media
...
For instance,
by simply looking at the headline: “How Biodiversity Keeps Earth Alive” (Biello, 2012), it
appears to be more serious than “DEAD AS A POLAR BEAR” (Gripper et al
...
These
two types of newspapers will contain different level of detailed information
...

Likewise, information available on the Internet is always up to date
...
This can be seen as an advantage because it provides lots of information as well
as different points of view but it is to be used carefully seeing that the information might
not be verified
...
Another advantage of this platform is that the reference list is extensive and
provides numerous types of further readings
...

Blogs are very interesting given the fact that it presents one person’s point of
view without influence from a funder or no agenda to follow
...

Videos can be a useful tool to convey information in an easy and accessible way:
UNESCO (2012) produced a TV campaign about biodiversity, the use of diagrams and
drawings helps to a better understanding of the topic
...
The
selective use of data enables NGOs to convey their message and follow their agenda
...
9)
...

Although NGOs like WWF or the World Preservation Foundation seem to focus on
the ecology, they also take into account other aspects of the problem, which enhances
their credibility: the “economic ramifications of biodiversity loss” (World Preservation
Foundation, 2010, p
...

Reports are regularly published, which allows the information to always be up to
date
...


In conclusion, different types of media will attract different publics
...
Table I summarizes the ideas raised in this essay
...

Summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of media explored
...

•



Single author can be
biased


Newspaper articles,

•

Published quickly

broadsheets

&

•

Widely available

tabloids or scientific

•

Easily understandable

magazines

•

Sometimes too simplistic
depending on newspaper

•

are

experts,



Journalists

unreliable

information
•




Politically implicated

not

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Web material

•

Free

and

•

widely

available
•

Multiple

Unreliable
depending

types

information
on

the

website

of

resources (blog, video,

Too much information

magazine…
...


Biello, D
...
Scientific American
...
scientificamerican
...

Cardinale, B
...
et al
...
Nature,
486(7401), 59-67
...
S
...
(2000) Consequences of changing biodiversity
...

Dell’Amore, C
...
[Online] Available from: http://news
...
com/news/
2014/09/1409030-animals-wildlife-wwf-decline-science-world/

[Accessed

9

October 2014]
...
, Fargione, J
...
S
...
(2006) Biodiversity Loss Threatens Human
Well-Being
...

Gaston, K
...
and Spicer, J
...
(2004) Biodiversity: an introduction
...
Malden, MA:
Blackwell Pub
...
, Webster, N
...
Mirror
...
mirror
...
uk/news/uk-news/dead-as-a-polar-bear-623288

[Accessed 9 October 2014]
...
(2013) Biodiversity Loss Is Threatening Our Food Supply
...

[Online] Available from: http://motherboard
...
com/blog/biodiversity-loss-isthreatening-our-food-supply [Accessed 9 October 2014]
Myers, N
...
K
...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,
98(10), 5389-5392
...
Montreal: ICAO
...
D
...
, Daily, G
...
, and Ehrlich, P
...
(1995) Human population dynamics and
biodiversity loss
...
M
...
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press, 1995, 115-148
...
(2012) Learning about Biodiversity
...
[Online] Available from: http://www
...
org/archives/
multimedia/index
...
VDpxySldU_F [Accessed 8
October 2014]
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
...
[Online]
Available from : http://en
...
org/wiki/Ecological_effects_of_biodiversity
Perrings, C
...
, Folke, C
...
S
...
(1995) Biodiversity loss:
economic and ecological issues
...

World Preservation Foundation (2010) Maintaining A Climate of Life: The Urgent Role of
Dietary Change in Preserving Biodiversity
...

WWF (2014) Living planet report 2014: species and spaces, people and places

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