Modified from the originalby Matthew R. Fisher. Our biodiversity is very important to the well-being of our planet. Q.9: Why is Biodiversity crisis so important to consider?Ans: Biodiversity crisis is a serious problem. Many medications were once derived from plant extracts but are now synthesized. Potatoes are only one example of agricultural diversity. Healthy biodiversity has the ethical importance of protecting all forms of life. READ IT! They are now all but gone, replaced by crop fields, pasture lands, and suburban sprawl. The work of biogeographers is critical to understanding our physical environment, how the environment affects species, and how changes in environment impact the distribution of a species. Importance of Biodiversity: The value of biodiversity is of major importance as without it, life would not sustain on earth. Biodiversity is the variety of life that is living in the ecosystem. In addition to humans losing the food source, these alterations affect many other species in ways that are difficult or impossible to predict. Endemic species with highly restricted distributions, like the Barton Springs salamander, are particularly vulnerable to extinction. Individual genes which promote durability or nutritional value are transferred from one organism to another to create biologically robust plants. It is both a property of living organisms and a necessary condition for their survival. Biodiversity Biodiversity is the variety of all living organisms in a specific habitat, it is made up with abiotic and biotic factors. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. AI Engineering Leads to Breakthrough with Plastic Eating Enzymes. Trees and other plants clean the air we breathe and help us tackle the global challenge of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. It refers to the varieties of plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form. Endemic species are those which are confined to a specific region contributing to the habitat they survive in. Antibiotics, which are responsible for extraordinary improvements in health and lifespans in developed countries, are compounds largely derived from fungi and bacteria. The potato demonstrates a well-known example of the risks of low crop diversity: during the tragic Irish potato famine (18451852 AD), the single potato variety grown in Ireland became susceptible to a potato blightwiping out the crop. It refers to the variability between plants, animals, and microorganism species. We would have to interlink these protected areas to allow animals to . It does not store any personal data. The value of the natural world can be interpreted in many ways, from their raw economic value to the inherent social, cultural and emotional benefits they provide. Keywords Ecosystem Service Address Climate Change Marine Biodiversity The individual components of biodiversitygenes, species, and ecosystemsprovide society with a wide array of goods and services. Genetic diversityis the raw material for evolutionary adaptation in a species and is represented by the variety of genes present within a population. Coral reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. Excludes bank holidays), 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG. It refers to the varieties of plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form. Essay on Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the presence of different species of plants and animals on the earth. The loss of a particular individual species may seem unimportant to some, especially if it is not a charismatic species like the Bengal tiger or the bottlenose dolphin. Essay on Biodiversity: Introduction, Importance, Decline and Steps - Essay 4 (400 Words) Introduction: Biodiversity, also referred to as the biological diversity refers to the diversified form of plants and animals that exists in our planet.It also denotes each and every aspect of the ecosystem such as micro-organisms, coral reefs, rainforests, deserts, forests etc., Explain The Importance Of Biodiversity > DQ1 discussion question/200 words with references-will reply back with question. Humanity impacts the planet's biodiversity in multiple ways, both deliberate and accidental. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Lesson 2: Introduction to Environmental Science. Q.8: What are the different types of biodiversity?Ans: The different types of biodiversity include: Ecological Biodiversity, Genetic Biodiversity and Species Biodiversity. In 2008, the Svalbard Global seed Vault, located on Spitsbergen island, Norway, (Figure) began storing seeds from around the world as a backup system to the regional seed banks. For example, potatoes were domesticated beginning around 7,000 years ago in the central Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Forests all over the world are vanishing at an alarming rate. In other words, biodiversity increases closer to the equator (Figure 3). However, manyextinctions will affectspecies that biologist have not yet discovered. The ability to create new crop varieties relies on the diversity of varieties available and the availability of wild forms related to the crop plant. It is the number of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms surviving on our planet. However, the current accelerated extinction rate means the loss of tens of thousands of species within our lifetimes. Education . For example, if the population of a certain type of plant starts to grow, then the population of an animal that . Biodiversity helps us to understand the variations among species and also how life originated on earth. Ecological biogeography studies the current factors affecting the distribution of plants and animals. Without pollinators we would not have apples, cherries, blueberries, almonds and many other foods we eat. Thus the issues of application involve policy, regulations and ways to globally manage energy and food security. Biodiversity has a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and thereby sustaining ecosystem services to the ever-growing human population. With each concept, students will answer a few questions to help make the research more concrete. It provides us with an array of foods and materials, and it contributes to the economy. Click Create Assignment to assign this modality to your LMS. Today our technology smooths out the harshness of existence and allows many of us to live longer, more comfortable lives, but ultimately the human species cannot exist without its surrounding ecosystems. The stability of tropical ecosystems might promote speciation. Why Is Biodiversity Important? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Describe the five kingdoms of life. The word "biodiversity" is a contraction of biological diversity which means the "totality of animal, plant, and microbial species in a specific natural environment.". Many of our medicines, along with other complex chemicals that we use in our daily lives such as latex and rubber, also originate from plants. They also lead to collateral damage by killing non-pest species as well as beneficial insects like honeybees, and risking the health of agricultural workers and consumers. Now we can all be (digital) farmers, from the comfort of our chair Albert Einstein once said,If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. 'Define Biodiversity and using examples, explain why it is important' Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. It is estimated that, at one time, 25 percent of modern drugs contained at least one plant extract. Environmental Justice & Indigenous Struggles, Economics, Environmental Policy, & Environmental Justice, Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere, Environmental Impacts of Organic vs. And people also value nature of itself. They occur within ecosystems, such as soil ecosystems, as a result of the diverse metabolic activities of the organisms living there, but they provide benefits to human food production, drinking water availability, and breathable air. Biodiversity is not easily defined, but may be thought of as the number and/or evenness of genes, species, and ecosystems in a region.This definition includes genetic diversity, or the diversity of genes within a species, species diversity, or . Environmental Biology by Matthew R. Fisher is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. The isolation and cultivation of the first microbial strain is attributed to Robert Koch, in the 1870's. A few years later, the first culture collections were established in Europe, with the purpose of preserving and distributing microorganisms for future study. As a consequence, their soils are now being depleted unless they are maintained artificially at great expense. Table 1. Estimates of numbers of prokaryotic species are largely guesses, but biologists agree that science has only just begun to catalog their diversity. You currently have JavaScript disabled in your web browser, please enable JavaScript to view our website as intended. He argues that human evolutionary history has adapted us to living in a natural environment and that built environments generate stresses that affect human health and well-being. Answer: Biodiversity hot spot is a type of in situ conservation area that has large number of endemic species (endemism) and high level of species richness. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. These two factors, latitude and age, are two of several hypotheses biogeographers have suggested to explain biodiversity patterns on Earth. Many areas . Seed companies, which are the source of most crop varieties in developed countries, must continually breed new varieties to keep up with evolving pest organisms. This organisation is making tree-planting around the globe as easy as a click of a button. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining the balance of the earth. Its study helps us to understand the inter-relationship between various forms of life and their adaptation to different conditions. The potatoes grown in that region belong to seven species and the number of varieties likely is in the thousands. He argues that human evolutionary history has adapted us to living in a natural environment and that built environments generate stresses that affect human health and well-being. For example, the blue jay is endemic to North America, while the Barton Springs salamander is endemic to the mouth of one spring in Austin, Texas. Given that Earth is losing species at an accelerating pace, science knows little about what is being lost. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Given below are some of the points which highlight the importance of biodiversity in an ecosystem: Biodiversity plays a crucial role to providesocial benefits, such as improved employment and the social services provided for vulnerable rural people for their development. The importance and biodiversity uses has gained momentum in the past few years. Nevertheless, at the current rate of species description, which according to the State of Observed Species1 reports is 17,00020,000 new species a year, it would take close to 500 years to describe all of the species currently in existence. It is not yet clear why biodiversity increases closer to the equator, but hypotheses include the greater age of the ecosystems in the tropics versus temperate regions, which were largely devoid of life or drastically impoverished during the last ice age. Biodiversity can refer to descriptions or assessments of the status and condition of all or selected groups of organisms, from the genetic variability to the species, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat. The ecosystem supports the services without which humans cannot survive. Humans are not the only animals to use plants for medicinal reasons. Lake Huron in its present form is only about 7,000 years old, while Lake Victoria in its present form is about 15,000 years old. Each time that a plant or animal species becomes extinct, the prospects of valuable medicinal harvesting as well as possible future medical discoveries are affected. The loss of the crop led to famine, death, and mass emigration. Despite considerable effort, knowledge of the species that inhabit the planet is limited. That subsequent research will produce the discoveries that make the species valuable to humans and to our ecosystems. along with research materials for assistance purposes only. In addition, it helps in maintaining high productivity and human health. Can Synthetic Trees Help Solve Global Water Scarcity? Conditions within the vault are maintained at ideal temperature and humidity for seed survival, but the deep underground location of the vault in the arctic means that failure of the vaults systems will not compromise the climatic conditions inside the vault. Giving space to nature is the most effective way to conserve biodiversity, for example, through wildlife reserves. Importance Of Marine Biodiversity. The complexity of tropical ecosystems may promote speciation by increasing the habitat complexity, thus providing moreecological niches. It represents the richness of different forms of life found on the planet Earth, which is very important to the survival of human beings. That number has probably decreased to about 10 percent as natural plant ingredients are replaced by synthetic versions of the plant compounds. Want to create or adapt books like this? But since 1990, production from global fisheries has declined. 2. The other great apes, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas have all been observed self-medicating with plants. Other toxins under investigation come from mammals, snakes, lizards, various amphibians, fish, snails, octopuses, and scorpions. If a regional seed bank stores varieties in Svalbard, losses can be replaced from Svalbard should something happen to the regional seeds. In general, the fish taken from fisheries have shifted to smaller species and the larger species are overfished. Traditional medicines are used by the majority of the worlds population and in some countries are extensively incorporated into the public health system. Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Loss of wild species related to a crop will mean the loss of potential in crop improvement. It controls pollution, flood, and soil erosion.d. Chapter 4: Community & Population Ecology, Chapter 6: Environmental Hazards & Human Health, Chapter 9: Conventional & Sustainable Agriculture, Chp 10: Air Pollution, Climate Change, & Ozone Depletion, Chapter 11: Conventional & Sustainable Energy, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. These wild forms are often the source of new gene variants that can be bred with existing varieties to create varieties with new attributes. Lake Huron contains about 79 species of fish, all of which are found in many other lakes in North America. Potatoes are only one example of agricultural diversity. Other pollinators include a diverse array of other bee species and various insects and birds. Fishery extinctions rarely lead to complete extinction of the harvested species, but rather to a radical restructuring of the marine ecosystem in which a dominant species is so over-harvested that it becomes a minor player, ecologically. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Q.7: How do humans affect biodiversity?Ans: Humans affect biodiversity by their population numbers, land use, and lifestyles, causing damage to habitats for species. Interview: Climate Neutrality in Industry 4.0 How Do We Get There? It also represents the involvement and the role of each species to make a healthy ecosystem. Indirectly it provides economic benefits to people which include water quality soil protection, equalisation of climate, environmental monitoring, scientific research, recreation etc. They are now all but gone, replaced by crop fields, pasture lands, and suburban sprawl. Biological evolution 2. This is what makes Biodiversity of such significant concern. Replacing the work of these organisms is not practically possible. Finally, it has been argued that humans benefit psychologically from living in a biodiverse world. The current high rates will cause a precipitous decline in the biodiversity of the planet in the next century or two. However, many extinctions will affect species that biologists have not yet discovered. Contemporary societies that live close to the land often have a broad knowledge of the medicinal uses of plants growing in their area. Will a New Algorithm Rating the Sustainability of Our Food Change Consumer and Producer Behaviour? The loss of biodiversity will include many species we know today. Human Health Many medications are derived from natural chemicals made by a diverse group of organisms. There will be more of pandemic concerns like the outbreak of Coronavirus. Biodiversity is the 'library' of species and genetic information that allows the Earth's systems to function. Registered charity number 207043, (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. This article discusses the global problem of biodiversity loss, its causes and why biodiversity is important for human society. The Svalbard seed vault is deep into the rock of the arctic island. In addition, the loss of an inexpensive protein source to populations that cannot afford to replace it will increase the cost of living and limit societies in other ways. An example of a largely extinct ecosystem in North America is the prairie ecosystem (Figure 2). The outdoor tourism industry relies on biodiversity to create and maintain that which tourists come to see, as does the multi-billion dollar fishing and hunting industry. The list of known recent extinctions is still a small fraction of all species on the planet but it is far above prehuman levels and the evidence suggests it is rising fast. Some of these compounds also work as human medicines. Darwin proposed that species diversity might increase the productivity of ecosystems due to the division of labour among species, suggesting that each species is unique in how it exploits its . Yet the science behind delimiting the natural world into "species" is often neglected, misunderstood or even derided in some quarters. 2009-09-27 21:55:14. . At its simplest, biodiversity describes life on Earth the different genes, species and ecosystems that comprise the biosphere and the varying habitats, landscapes and regions in which they exist. Biodiversity affects our food, medicine, and environmental well-being. Another possible explanation is the greater energy the tropics receive from the sun. The chief proponent of this idea is famed entomologist E. O. Wilson. It also helps in the survival of humankind and other species present in the ecosystem. For example, a forest with 10 equally common species of trees is more diverse than a forest that has 10 species of trees wherein just one of those species makes up 95 percent of the trees. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These interactions often create negative feedback loops, keeping the ecosystem in approximately the same state. Related Benefits. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Another equally serious but less discussed topic deserves serious attention. Basically it is like a cycle of the living organisms which are dependent on each other for survival. These kinds of processes are called ecosystem services. Naming and counting species may seem an unimportant pursuit given the other needs of humanity, but it is not simply an accounting. Biomedical research is also heavily reliant on the natural supply of plant and animal materials as well as microbes for understanding the physiology of humans and for treating diseases. Ecological Importance2. Much of this loss is occurring in tropical rainforests like the one pictured in Figure 1, which are very high in biodiversity but are being cleared for timber and agriculture. Other toxins under investigation come from mammals, snakes, lizards, various amphibians, fish, snails, octopuses, and scorpions. Given that Earth is losing species at an accelerating pace, science knows little about what is being lost.