What is it?Before I get into how I thought biodiversity should be defined, I wanted to offer some definitions that I came across.
1. "Biodiversity is a contraction of biological diversity. It reflects the number, variety and variability of living organisms and how these change from one location to another and over time. Biodiversity includes diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (species diversity), and between ecosystems (ecosystem diversity). Biodiversity is everywhere, both on land and in water. It includes all organisms, from microscopic bacteria to more complex plants and animals" (Earlham Institute). 2. "Biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals" (Merriam-Webster). 3. "Biodiversity describes the variety of life on Earth, including the 8 million plant and animal species on the planet, the ecosystems that house them, and the genetic diversity among them. Biodiversity is a complex, interdependent web, in which each member plays an important role, drawing and contributing in ways that may not even be visible to the eye. The abundant foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the weather that makes our planet habitable all come from nature" (Time for Nature). Therefore, I settled on this definition... Biodiversity consists of all living things that make up the natural world, and share a connection. These living things create an environment of complex relationships that work together to maintain a balanced and genetically diverse system that supports life on Earth (adapted from Thijssen, 2020). No matter how biodiversity is defined it is obvious that the more biodiversity we have, the stronger and more resilient our futures' will be. Sources Image source: "The 2020 Biodiversity COP: An opportunity for China to lead the world in conservation." China-US Focus, China-United States Exchange Foundation, 2020, https://www.chinausfocus.com/energy-environment/the-2020-biodiversity-cop-an-opportunity-for-china-to-lead-the-world-in-conservation "Why you should care about biodiversity." Earlham Institute, Coherence, 2020, https://www.earlham.ac.uk/articles/why-you-should-care-about-biodiversity#:~:text=It%20works%20at%20the%20genetic,must%20care%20about%20our%20biodiversity. "Biodiversity."" Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2020, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodiversity "What is biodiversity." Time for Nature, German Bundestag, 2020, https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/did-you-know/what-biodiversity Thijssen, Anthony. “What is biodiversity? Why it’s under threat and why it matters.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 2020, https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-is-biodiversity. |
Who cares?Well I hate to sound so cliche, but I do! Other than my own personal feelings, there are many reasons as to why biodiversity is important.
1. An increased number of plant species means a larger variety of crops 2.Natural sustainability can be ensured through a greater species diversity 3. Ecosystems can become more resilient from a variety of disasters if they are healthy 4. “A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural services for everyone: Ecosystem services, such as Protection of water resources Soils formation and protection Nutrient storage and recycling Pollution breakdown and absorption Contribution to climate stability Maintenance of ecosystems Recovery from unpredictable events Biological resources, such as Food Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs Wood products Ornamental plants Breeding stocks, population reservoirs Future resources Diversity in genes, species and ecosystems Social benefits, such as Research, education and monitoring Recreation and tourism Cultural values” (Shah, 2014) Investing in biodiverse ecosystems can keep the human population healthy. "Research has indicated that there is a close link between the degradation of nature and disease outbreaks” (Shaw, 2018). Seventy percent of viral diseases have spread from animals to humans (Shaw, 2018). In our current situation (with the coronavirus) we have learned that our methods of capturing, holding, and selling exotic wildlife in some Chinese markets has led to the perfect breeding grounds for a global pandemic. This virus has shown us just how connected we are on this globe. Although we might be miles apart, all of our actions are felt by everyone. The continuation of the wildlife trade and deeper exploration into natural habitats will only lessen biodiversity. Why not kill two birds with one stone and choose to protect wildlife, and mitigate the possibility of another viral pandemic happening. Nature is something we should be working alongside and not against. Biodiversity lives around us and we react with it everyday. We need to start looking at the bigger picture and how the system of biodiversity functions to create a stronger and more resilient planet. Biodiversity offers us so much, but we have done little in comparison to return the favor. Sources Image source: "World Biodiversity Day." Facebook. 2020. https://www.facebook.com/BiodiversityDay/ Shah, Anup. “Why is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares?” Global Issues.19 Jan. 2014. Web. 24 Jun. 2020. https://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares. Shaw, Julie. “Why is biodiversity important?” Conservation International. 15 Nov. 2018. https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-is-biodiversity-important |