Displaced by agriculture, urban growth: California wildlife faces uncertain future

Abstract

California supports one of the greatest diversities of terrestrial wildlife of any state. However, many wildlife species have been lost or have become imperiled since the mid-1800s. Much of this biodiversity loss has been due to habitat loss caused by the conver- sion of wildlands to agriculture, facilitated by numerous water projects. Although certain agricul- tural practices can benefit wildlife, continued population growth and urban sprawl are consuming much of California's agricultural land, threatening even these benefits.