How does overexploitation of resources affect biological diversity?

Overexploitation of resources directly depletes populations of organisms, often leading to a significant loss of species. When humans excessively harvest plants, animals, or other natural resources faster than they can regenerate, it diminishes the population sizes and can result in extinction. This loss disrupts ecosystems and the complex interactions that maintain biodiversity. Each species plays a specific role in its ecosystem, and the decline of one species can create a ripple effect, negatively impacting other species that rely on it for food, habitat, or other ecological functions. As species dwindle, the overall health of ecosystems declines, further threatening biological diversity. Thus, the consequence of overexploitation extends beyond individual species to the broader ecological balance, highlighting the importance of sustainable resource management to preserve biodiversity.