What are the main causes of the loss of biodiversity?

A loss of biodiversity is often times tied to habitat
destruction. Once land is cleared for farming, housing, lumber, etc. it leaves little
room for those species dependent on those areas for homes. As one species dies off,
others quickly follow as they are linked in food chains and webs. Certain areas of the
world have high levels of biodiversity namely tropical rainforests. Unfortunately, these
areas are being lost due to development, farming, removal of wood for producing
furniture and other reasons. As one travels from the Equatorial regions of the world
towards either pole, biodiversity and species richness decreases. Biodiversity is a
function of climate however humans can influence the numbers of species in a given area.
The greater the biodiversity in an area, the more healthy the area
is.