Biodiversity
Biodiversity is variety of life both plant and animals on earth. This variability is from all the sources like aquatic, marine, terrestrial and other aquatic ecosystems.
They have variety among the species, between the species, and of ecosystem. Biodiversity is foundation to vast ecosystem services which are provided to the humans being. It is the essential part of human as well as natural ecosystems.
Biodiversity is measured through species richness and essentially everywhere on the earth. Anything happen to the biodiversity like any change or damage to it, it will directly affect the life of human being all other organisms. Also it will badly hamper the ecosystem of the earth.
Importance
of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is an ecosystem productivity booster, each species whether they are small or big they all play a very important role in ecosystem. If there is a large diversity in a species for example in plants, it will lead to sustainability of nature and also all life forms on the earth, as whole life is depend on the plant species. In food chain plants are the producer and form the base of food chain.
The current biodiversity is the result of almost 3.5 Billion years of evolution. It has been estimated that before the emergence and advancement of human, the earth supported more and vast biodiversity than now. It is a weird and sad fact since the appearance and advancement of humans the biodiversity has faced damage and decline. The extinction of species whether it is plants or animals is going at rapid pace due to the human activities. Besides all this biodiversity has a major role in advancement of the human being. It is very important to not only for the survival of human being but also for other forms of life.
Biodiversity provide number of services to the human being and to the environment or ecosystem. Some of the major services and importance of the biodiversity is discussed below.
1. Source of Food and Fodder
Biodiversity is a major source of food for human being as well as for the livestock. There are number of food products which we are taking from the biodiversity. As the plants are the producers and lies at the base of the food chain in any ecosystem thus they act as an excellent source of food for the human being and other animals. On the other hand, fodder for the live stock and other herbivore animals also obtained directly from the plants. As it is also an important benefit of the biodiversity.
2. Source of Medicine
Biodiversity also provides medicines to human being, also to some other animals as well. Pharmaceutical products are also prepared or synthesized using the plant products. For example Quinine a renowned medicine to treat the malaria is obtained from a plant know as Cinchona. Some other drugs like Morphine, Codeine, Cocaine, Aspirin, penicillin etc are also obtained from the plants.
3. Pollution Management
Another service provide by the biodiversity to the ecosystem is managing and clearing of the pollution from the environment. For this purpose most of the plants plays their role. Some micro organism clearing pollution from the water. Decomposers also play major role in depleting the pollution from the environment. Plants are major agents to cleaning the environment from pollution.
4. Control on Soil Erosion
As soil erosion can make the soil infertile, and this can lead to damage of the food chain as crop and other beneficial plant, directly used as source of food for humans and animals cannot grow or cultivated. This can lead to starvation. So the soil erosion is also prevented by the biodiversity. Plants play a major role to prevent soil from erosion.
5. Soil Quality Improvement
Quality of the soil is improved by the biodiversity, for this purpose plant species plays a major role. Some of the microorganisms like decomposers bacteria and fungi also improve the quality of soil through their activities.
6. Forming a Healthy Ecosystem
Provision of the healthy ecosystem is one of the services of the biodiversity. For this reason plant species are very essential. Plants filter the air and make it healthy to breathe in. Thus after eradication pollution and provision a fresh air and environment to the humans and animals biodiversity is responsible for maintaining healthy ecosystem.
7. Nutrient Recycling Storage
If the nutrients are not recycled the food chain will be diminished. Decomposers like bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms are responsible for the nutrient recycling. Through their activities and number of chemical reactions they return the major nutriments which are precursor to organic molecules to the environment for the reuse. Thus the biodiversity is proved to help in nutrient recycling and maintaining the life on earth.
8. Source of Recreation
Biodiversity recreational activities to the humans. People love tour the areas which are rich in biodiversity, especially in wildlife. People feel fresh, energize and full of joy visiting such areas. It also has aesthetic values as well. So biodiversity is essential part of tourism.
9. Importance for Cultural Development
Biodiversity is also culturally very importance, it has great cultural values as well. Like in Pakistan Kalash valley has its own cultural importance. Some of the plants and animals have culture importance like Deodar tree is Pakistan’s national Tree, same as Markhor is national animal of Pakistan etc.
10. Economic Growth and Industrial Importance
Economic growth of any country is directly linked with the biodiversity. As biodiversity has cultural and recreational values thus it can directly generate revenue for the countries. By selling the products of plants and animals and also by selling the wood of for the furniture and building material economy can be uplifted. On the other hand some industries like lumber, rubber, paper, fiber, water, oil, dyes, timber, are solely dependent on the plants and those are the essential part of biodiversity.
11. Knowledge and Research Purposes
Areas rich in biodiversity are basically heaven of knowledge to the research and other students. Student can visit those areas for gaining or enhancing their knowledge about the different species of biodiversity. For research purposes, researchers and students also getting benefit of the biodiversity.
12. Provision of Habitat Protection
Biodiversity also provide protection and shelter to the number of species of plants and animals. Biodiversity is home for large number of wildlife animals, as well as plants. It provides food, shelter as well as protection to these species.
13. Reduction of Risk of Climatic changes
Biodiversity also resist to climate change to its capacity. Biodiversity keeps the environment and ecosystem of the earth as natural as it is. So it reduces the risk of climatic changes on the earth.
14. Ethical, Cultural and Religious Values
Biodiversity also provide ethical values as it protects the number of endangered species of plant and animals. It is conserves present and future generations of animals. Biodiversity contribute to the emotional and spiritual well being of the humans. There is a relationship among the different parts of the earth and human. Biodiversity also contribute to conserve these cultural values. Landscapes have their own history which is associated with the human beings, thus it protects those cultural places and values. Biodiversity also important in a sense of Religion, some animals and plants are and even some land areas are sacred in some religions. So biodiversity also provide shelter, protection and food to those animals and plants which are sacred and religiously honored.
Other Important Roles of Biodiversity
Besides all these biodiversity has number of other functions to play and provide some services too like
Cleaning up the Environment,
Important for the
existence of the species.
Biodiversity also
important for the protection of our planet.
Biodiversity also
has role in recycling of the Water.
It also protects the natural resources and ensures their sustainable use and conserves them for future generations.
Reasons for Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is at continuous since the humans dominated the land. The rate of biodiversity destruction has many folds increased since the recent population explosion and industrial revolution. The main cause of loss of biodiversity is habitat destruction and some of other reasons are discussed below.
1. Destruction of Habitat
Habitat destruction is one of the major causes of loss of biodiversity. Habitat is usually destroyed by the human activities for the purposes like, for settlement humans do the deforestation, building of roads and canals leads to habitat fragmentation, construction of buildings, construction of Dams, usage if natural land for agriculture and mining purposes, establishment of industries and highways constructions. Due all these activities species need to adept to the changes, or if not this may lead to starvation or diseases and eventually the specie may end in extinction. Several species like Snow leopards, Markhor, some key stone and foundation species are at the brink of extinctions due the destruction of habitat or fragmentation of habitat
2. Hunting/Poaching
Some products like Ivory, animal trophies, animal skin, tusks, meat, fur, pharmaceutical products, cosmetics and products for decoration purposes have great economical importance. And all these products obtained from the wildlife. To obtain such products hunter and poachers are killing the animals rudely. This causing the extinction of species from the earth thus destroying the natural balance of ecosystem. Musk Deer is hunted for a pod which is used in perfumes. Black rhinos are hunted for their beautiful horns, it is estimated that 95% of Rhinos from Africa has been exterminated hunters.
3. Exploitation of Selected Species
There are some plants like Drosera Sp, Pitcher plant; Psilotum, Khasiana, and some other have great medicinal importance, exploitation of these medicinal important plants leads to their extinction with the passage of time, these are collected for the teaching and research purposes also. Thus disturbing the natural balance of ecosystem and thus loss of biodiversity.
4. Habitat Fragmentation
It is unnatural separation of natural habitat of animals. It is also one of the most serious same as habitat destruction. Construction of roads, canals, dams, and barrages by humans usually contribute to the habitat fragmentation. It separate large populations of animals thus fragment their food, their home, hindered them for proper breeding, sometimes this leads to reduction in the species populations and ultimately to the extinctions of particular species.
5. Collections Fauna and Flora for Zoo and Research
Throughout the world animals and plants are collected for Zoos and research. They are collected for keeping them as pet as well. As the primates such as monkeys have similarities in their DNA with human beings, so they are sacrificed in number for research and animal experimentation thus causing reduction in their populations and decrease in genetic diversity. This ultimately leads to natural imbalance and loss of biodiversity.
6. Introduction of Exotic species
Introduction of non-native species into a habitat leads to competition among the native species of habitat. They may compete for food, shelter, protection and land, even for breeding purposes too. Thus it may cause the death of already inhabiting species of the area. Causing the extinction of native species due to the exotic species. Ultimately causing the loss of biodiversity.
7. Pollution
Pollution affects biodiversity badly, specially water pollution causing the extinction of coastal, marine and freshwater organism. Toxic chemicals, waste of the industry enters the water body, it may enter into the food chain and ultimately leads to the disease and extinctions of species. Sulphur Oxides, insecticides, pesticides, other anthropogenic activities all leads to water pollution. Noise pollution also affects the breeding patterns of the wildlife thus reducing their population and their extinctions.
8. Pest and Predator Control
To control pest usually pesticides are used, some it kills so beneficial organisms which are essential part of the balances ecosystem. Predator control sometimes over kills, or kills the non-target species this also destruct the natural balance of ecosystem thus leads to loss of biodiversity.
9. Natural Calamities
Natural disasters like earthquake, floods, Fire, Volcanic Eruptions, Draught, epidemics etc, also sometimes results in the loss of biodiversity.
10. Climatic Change
Climate is being
change rapidly due the human activities and immense increase in pollution. Global
warming, Ozone depletion and green house effect are interconnected and these
leads to major changes in the global climate ultimately have vast effect on the
biodiversity.
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