Biodiversity: Importance and Threats

 

Introduction

Biodiversity refers to the diversity of organisms that make up our natural world, including a wide range of animals, plants, fungi, and even bacteria. To maintain balance and support life, these various species and organisms work together in intricate ecosystems that resemble webs. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive, including food, clean water, medicines, and shelter.

As humans put more and more strain on the planet by using and consuming more resources than ever before, we run the risk of upsetting the balance of ecosystems and losing biodiversity.

In general, the number of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians has decreased worldwide since 1970, according to the WWF's 2022 Living Planet Report. The 2019 landmark Global Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services revealed that 1 million animal and plant species are currently in danger of going extinct, which is the highest number in recorded human history.

Why Is It Important?

The majority of our daily activities rely on biodiversity. We value biodiversity for a variety of reasons, some purely philosophical and others purely practical. This demonstrates that biodiversity is valued for both its own sake and for the benefits it provides to humans. Utilitarian values include the many basic requirements that humans derive from biodiversities, such as food, fuel, shelter, and healthcare. Ecosystems also carry out crucial tasks like pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and pest control in agriculture. The value of biodiversity also includes untapped services and unrealized potential benefits like the creation of novel treatments. Humans value biodiversity for a variety of cultural reasons, including religious and spiritual ones. Biodiversity has an inherent value that is independent of how much it is valued by other people or things. It's possible to compare this concept, which is more philosophical, to the inalienable right to exist. Finally, we can use our relationships and aspirations for those relationships to understand the value of biodiversity. We may value biodiversity because it has an impact on how we interact with one another, perceive the world, and act in social situations. Whether they are individual or collective, these relational values are a part of peoples' feelings of connection, well-being, and environmental stewardship. The various biodiversity values are significant because they have an impact on people's daily conservation decisions.

Biodiversity Loss

The decline in biodiversity brought on by a species' extinction or relocation is referred to as "biodiversity loss." Particularly if it's not a charismatic species like the Bengal tiger or bottlenose dolphin, some people might not think the extinction of a particular species is significant. Biologists' estimates, however, indicate that the current rate of extinction is significantly higher than the background, or average, rate seen throughout Earth's history. This results in the extinction of tens of thousands of species within our lifetimes. Ecosystem collapse is likely to have a significant impact on human welfare. Because of the complex relationships among species, ecosystems may be negatively impacted by a loss of biodiversity. For instance, the extinction of one species may cause the extinction of another. To measure the loss of biodiversity, scientists examine both the status of the ecosystems and the species that are in danger of extinction.

The greatest threat to the planet's biodiversity is the result of resource use and population growth together. The human population requires resources to exist and grow, and many of these resources are being taken from the environment in an unsustainable manner. The five main threats to biodiversity are habitat loss, pollution, over-exploitation, invasive species, and climate change. While other threats are a direct result of resource use and population growth, invasive species have been introduced as a result of increased trade and mobility.

Biodiversity in India

India is one of the most diverse nations in the world. It ranks ninth in terms of the variety of plant species. Two of the top 25 biodiversity hotspots on earth are located in India. It is the ancestor of significant crop species like the pigeon pea, eggplant, cucumber, cotton, and sesame. In India, many domesticated species are grown, including millets, cereals, legumes, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic plants, etc.

The diversity of India's fauna is another great asset. Here, there are about 91000 different animal species. Numerous programs on biodiversity conservation are being started to protect the environment, but diversity is vanishing quickly.

Conclusion

Every species has the right to exist. They shouldn't be purposefully eradicated by people. Biodiversity protects various cultures and spiritual heritage. Therefore, protecting biodiversity is essential.

Written by Jay Kumar Gupta