CONCEPT OF BIODIVERSITY

"We do not earn the earth from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children"

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The word Biodiversity comes from a contraction of biological diversity. Biodiversity refers to the degree of variation of species or the variety of life i.e different plants, animals and microorganisms, their genes and the ecosystem in its original concept, it relates to the number of different species on an area of a certain size. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the state/health of biological systems. It varies greatly with ecosystem and climate. The humid tropics have the greater biodiversity and biodiversity decreases towards the north and South as temperature decreases. Biodiversity has evolutionary, ecological, economic, social, cultural and intrinsic values.

Biodiversity is generally described at three levels.
• Genetic Diversity
• Species Diversity
• Ecosystem Diversity

Ecological Effect Of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is believed to create stability in ecosystems allowing these ecosystem to continue providing services in the face of disturbances. It provides food for we human beings. Many people depends on these support for their food, shelter and clothing. Biodiversity provides many ecosystem services that are often not readily visible. Just like regulating the chemistry of the atmosphere and water supplies. It is directly involved in water purification, recycling nutrients and providing fertile soils. Many people derive value from biodiversity through leisure activities like bird watching or natural history study. Biodiversity haa inspired musicians, artists, painters, writers, sculptors and other artists.
The stability of ecosystem is also related to biodiversity with higher biodiversity producing greater stability over time thus reducing the chance that ecosystem services will be disrupted aa a result of disturbances such as extreme wealth and human exploitation.

Threats To Biodiversity

During the last century, erosion of biodiversity has been increasingly observed. Some studies show that about one-eight of known plant species are threatened with extinction. Factors that threatens biodiversity have been variously categorized.
Biodiversity is declining but not limited to:

• Destruction Of Habitat : Most of the species going to extinction from 1000AD to 2000AD were due to human activities in particular destruction of plant and animal habitats. Example is the tropical forest being destroyed by logging and fire.

• Invasive Species : Loss of natural or indigenous species allows introduced species to flourish. Example of introduced species are Tithonia diversifolia and Chromolaena odorata. Exotic/introduced organisms may either be predators, parasites or strictly aggressive species that deprive indigenous species of nutrients, water and light.

• Pollution : It introduces contaminants into the environment that are made to harm or even kill plant and animal species. Pollution contaminates natural ecosystem and poses a threat to biodiversity.

• Population Growth : The exponential growth of human population has impacted the ecosystem and affects biodiversity. The need for space, nutrients and raw materials haa resulted in the destruction of habitats.

• Overconsumption : Humans permanently removes in excess of the available natural resources (minerals etc) without any ability to restore them again.

• Climate Change : This is the most pronounced environmental problem in the tropics today. The recent cases of global warming is also considered to be a major threat to global biodiversity.

The Roles Of Society In Supporting Biodiversity

Biodiversity is not necessarily about preserving everything in existence, it is more of using it wisely and constantly renewing the renewable ones just as in the case of planting new trees after cutting.

Governments, nongovernmental communities, good academic institutions and individuals has been using a variety of means to protect plants and animals. This includes;

• Preservation of the local and natural wet lands allows the plants and animals that depend on this area to continue to live.

• Restoration of habitats that have been lost to increase the number of different species found there.

• Development of institutions of recovery for plants and animals for species at risk.

• Development of geological and botanical gardens with other facilities that can participate in captive breeding with the intention of introducing the species when habitat problems have been solved through process such as ecological restoration.

Why Preserve Biodiversity

Preservation is an aspect of conservation meaning to keep the resources without altering or changing it.
Biodiversity is the scientific term for the variety of life on Earth. It refers not just to species but also to ecosystems and differences in genes within a single species. Biodiversity cooperation incorporate the preservation, maintenance, sustainable use, recovery and enhancement of the component of biological diversity.

Biodiversity helps to keep our water clean by purification, purify our air, maintain our soil, regulate the climate, recycle nutrients and provide us with food. They provide raw materials and resources for medicines and other purposes.

In my next post we'll will be talking about the two ways with which we can conserve biodiversity.
References
Why do we need to protect biodiversity?
Why Save Biodiversity?
Thanks for reading. Am open to any question.

Here is my previous article

Methane and Methanogenesis