--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Agricultural demand for water - probably…" description: "\"Agricultural demand for water - probably the largest threat to freshwater species - continues to increase. ... Meanwhile, threats to terrestrial biodiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/indur-m-goklany-82883_biodiversity_agricultural-demand-for-water-probably-t_25114.png" --- # Agricultural demand for water - probably the largest… ![“Agricultural demand for water - probably the largest threat to freshwater species - continues to increase. ... Meanwhile, threats to terrestrial biodiversity - primarily the conversion of habitat to agricultural uses ... - have not diminished.” quote by Indur M. Goklany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/indur-m-goklany-82883_biodiversity_agricultural-demand-for-water-probably-t_25114.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/indur-m-goklany-82883_biodiversity_agricultural-demand-for-water-probably-t_25114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/indur-m-goklany-82883_biodiversity_agricultural-demand-for-water-probably-t_25114.png) > “Agricultural demand for water - probably the largest threat to freshwater species - continues to increase. ... Meanwhile, threats to terrestrial biodiversity - primarily the conversion of habitat to agricultural uses ... - have not diminished.” Indur M. Goklany ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intensive agriculture expands water use and habitat conversion, driving declines in both aquatic and terrestrial species despite other threats easing. **In simple terms:** Agriculture strains water and habitats, harming biodiversity. Key Takeaway Agricultural expansion is a primary driver of species loss. Themes environmental impact resource scarcity habitat loss biodiversity decline sustainability Mood concerned urgent reflective Type statement observation call to action When to use this quote - policy planning for water allocation - conservation strategy development - agricultural sustainability assessments - environmental impact reporting Key Concepts water demand land conversion species extinction ecosystem services Practical Applications - designing water-efficient farming practices - prioritizing habitat protection in land-use planning Questions to Reflect On - How can agricultural practices be reformed to reduce water consumption? - What policies could balance food production with biodiversity conservation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biodiversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biodiversity/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Conversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversion/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Habitat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitat/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“They are the largest collection of freshwater lakes in the world. They border eight U.S. states and the Canadian Providence of Ontario and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-magsamen/they-are-the-largest-collection-of-freshwater-lakes-in-the-world-they/) [Susan Magsamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-magsamen/) > [I am inclined to believe that if there can be a meaningful human right to any material thing, surely it starts with access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-solomon/i-am-inclined-to-believe-that-if-there-can-be-a-meaningful-human/) [Steven Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-solomon/) > [“I am a freshwater girl. I live on the lake, and in New Jersey, that's rare. The girls on the other side of town…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wunder/i-am-a-freshwater-girl-i-live-on-the-lake-and-in-new-jersey-that-s/) [Wendy Wunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wunder/) > [Water is the basis of life and the blue arteries of the earth! Everything in the non-marine environment depends on freshwater to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-postel/water-is-the-basis-of-life-and-the-blue-arteries-of-the-earth/) [Sandra Postel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-postel/) > [The great thing about freshwater fish is most of them are incredibly ugly, a lot of them are, so no one can fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-wade/the-great-thing-about-freshwater-fish-is-most-of-them-are-incredibly/) [Jeremy Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-wade/) > [Sea water is clear and you can put the camera in sea water and you can see stuff, whereas freshwater is often zero visibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-wade/sea-water-is-clear-and-you-can-put-the-camera-in-sea-water-and-you/) [Jeremy Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-wade/) > [The arapaima, found in South America, has an elongated body and a head so bony that the male fish will sometimes kill each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-wade/the-arapaima-found-in-south-america-has-an-elongated-body-and-a-head/) [Jeremy Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-wade/) > [“The bottom line answer to the question about why biodiversity matters is fairly simple: The rest of the living world can get along without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-a-earle/the-bottom-line-answer-to-the-question-about-why-biodiversity-matters/) Sylvia A. Earle > [We share this planet with many species. It is our responsibility to protect them, both for their sakes and our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-a-matson/we-share-this-planet-with-many-species-it-is-our-responsibility-to/) Pamela A. Matson > [Civilization has ceased to be that delicate flower which was preserved and painstakingly cultivated in one or two sheltered areas of a soil rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/civilization-has-ceased-to-be-that-delicate-flower-which-was/) [Claude Levi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/) > [Man has created death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/man-has-created-death/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I will defend the absolute value of Mozart over Miley Cyrus, of course I will, but we should be wary of false dichotomies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-will-defend-the-absolute-value-of-mozart-over-miley-cyrus-of-course/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/we-should-preserve-every-scrap-of-biodiversity-as-priceless-while-we/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The thing that I think about most often is the loss of biodiversity. We talk about these food issues so often with concern to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-terry/the-thing-that-i-think-about-most-often-is-the-loss-of-biodiversity/) [Bryant Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-terry/) > [If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-we-pollute-the-air-water-and-soil-that-keep-us-alive-and-well-and/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## More by Indur M. Goklany > [Strictly from the perspective of human well-being, the richest-but-warmest world characterized by the A1FI scenario would probably be superior to the poorer-but-cooler worlds at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indur-m-goklany/strictly-from-the-perspective-of-human-well-being-the-richest-but/) Indur M. Goklany > [Considering that future generations will be far better off than current generations even after accounting for climate change, it would be more equitable for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indur-m-goklany/considering-that-future-generations-will-be-far-better-off-than/) Indur M. Goklany Explore all 3 Indur M. Goklany quotes ## More Biodiversity quotes > [The thing that I think about most often is the loss of biodiversity. We talk about these food issues so often with concern to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-terry/the-thing-that-i-think-about-most-often-is-the-loss-of-biodiversity/) [Bryant Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-terry/) > [We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/we-should-preserve-every-scrap-of-biodiversity-as-priceless-while-we/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [I will defend the absolute value of Mozart over Miley Cyrus, of course I will, but we should be wary of false dichotomies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-will-defend-the-absolute-value-of-mozart-over-miley-cyrus-of-course/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Man has created death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/man-has-created-death/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Civilization has ceased to be that delicate flower which was preserved and painstakingly cultivated in one or two sheltered areas of a soil rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/civilization-has-ceased-to-be-that-delicate-flower-which-was/) [Claude Levi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/) > [“The bottom line answer to the question about why biodiversity matters is fairly simple: The rest of the living world can get along without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-a-earle/the-bottom-line-answer-to-the-question-about-why-biodiversity-matters/) Sylvia A. Earle > [If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-we-pollute-the-air-water-and-soil-that-keep-us-alive-and-well-and/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [We share this planet with many species. It is our responsibility to protect them, both for their sakes and our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-a-matson/we-share-this-planet-with-many-species-it-is-our-responsibility-to/) Pamela A. Matson > [For us, not cooperating in the monopoly regimes of intellectual property rights and patents and biodiversity - saying "no" to patents on life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/for-us-not-cooperating-in-the-monopoly-regimes-of-intellectual/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [I can't imagine anything more important than air, water, soil, energy and biodiversity. These are the things that keep us alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/i-can-t-imagine-anything-more-important-than-air-water-soil-energy/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [An agricultural landscape produces food but it also provides water, requires biodiversity to underpin soil function, pollination and other useful services, and also has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-benton/an-agricultural-landscape-produces-food-but-it-also-provides-water/) Tim Benton > [I came to all the realizations about sustainability and biodiversity because I fell in love with the way food tastes. That was it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-came-to-all-the-realizations-about-sustainability-and-biodiversity/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [It is important to recognize that behind the razzmatazz of consumerism, we all remain dependent on basic natural resources - land, air, water and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-topfer/it-is-important-to-recognize-that-behind-the-razzmatazz-of/) [Klaus Topfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-topfer/) > [The byproduct of the main thrust to protect the biodiversity of a given place is that you get especially young people out to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/the-byproduct-of-the-main-thrust-to-protect-the-biodiversity-of-a/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Food security is an authentically human requirement. Guaranteeing it for present and future generations also means safeguarding ourselves against the uncontrolled exploitation of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/food-security-is-an-authentically-human-requirement-guaranteeing-it/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) [Browse all 151 Biodiversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biodiversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Agricultural demand for water - probably the largest threat to freshwater species - continues to increase. ... Meanwhile, threats to terrestrial biodiversity - primarily the conversion of habitat to agricultural uses ... - have not diminished.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Indur M. 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