more needs also to be done to monitor ecosystem integrity and to develop indicators that better reflect the state of and changes in biodiversity at the habitatecosystem level many natural ecosystems have been degraded limiting the ecosystem services they provide the diversity of genes species and ecosystems continues to decline as the pressures on biodiversity remain constant or increase in intensity mainly as a result of human actions scientific consensus projects a continuing loss of habitats and high rates of extinctions throughout this century if current trends persist