Biodiversity

Introduction

The study of biodiversity helps in understanding and identifying various life forms and along with their ecological community and how they interact within themselves. Biodiversity exists on numerous levels, beginning with DNA, moving on to individual species, communities of organisms, and eventually complete ecosystems, along with forests as well as coral reefs, where life interacts with the physical environment. For billions of years, these complex interactions have kept Earth livable.

Biodiversity Meaning

Before one can define biodiversity, it is first important to note the establishment of the name. Biodiversity comes from two words, biological and diversity. Therefore, when one connects both of them, it can be concluded that biodiversity refers to the various life forms that can be found on earth. These life forms include animals, fungi, plants, etc. So yes, the encompassing name or term for these life forms is biodiversity. 

Indeed, everyone will agree that different species have different behavioural patterns.  For example, some animal species are herbivores like goats, while others are carnivores like lions and hyenas. To further understand the concept of biodiversity, let us look at its different levels below.

Types of Biodiversity 

There are the following three different types of biodiversity:

• Ecological Biodiversity

• Genetic Biodiversity

• Functional Biodiversity

Ecosystem biodiversity: 

An area may have many ecosystems or only one. Oceans or deserts with large swaths of land would be examples of low biological diversity locations. In this respect, a mountainous location with lakes, woods, and meadows would have more biodiversity. When one environment is endangered by drought or disease, a place having many ecosystems may be able to supply more resources to assist local species to thrive.

Genetic biodiversity: 

Here, we are referring to the genes of the various living organisms. It can also be referred to as how each species in an ecosystem relates to each other. And it is also seen that species within the same ecosystem do not share the same genes. Even amongst humans, genes differ. Thus, it answers why people do not look alike. 

Functional biodiversity: 

Functional diversity refers to how organisms interact, get food, and exploit an ecosystem’s natural resources. Because there are so many species with so many distinct behaviours, a species-rich environment is assumed to contain a lot of functional variety. Understanding the behaviours and responsibilities of species can lead to gaps in the food chain or ecological niches that species are lacking, which can be important to ecologists working to maintain or repair a damaged ecosystem.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives. We value biodiversity for many reasons, some utilitarian, some intrinsic. This means we value biodiversity both for what it provides to humans and for the value it has in its own right. Utilitarian values include the many basic needs humans obtain from biodiversities such as food, fuel, shelter, and medicine. Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Biodiversity is also considered by many to have intrinsic value—that is, each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known to have value to humans. 

Some of its importance includes:

• Ecological life support—Ecosystems that provide Clean water and air, oxygen, plant pollination, pest control, wastewater treatment, and a range of other ecosystem services are supported by biodiversity
• Scientific—Biodiversity is a rich mine of biological data that helps us better comprehend the natural world and its origins
• Cultural—Australian culture is intrinsically related to biodiversity via expressions of identity, spirituality, and aesthetic enjoyment. Indigenous Australians have deep spiritual beliefs about animals and plants, which has resulted in strong ties to biodiversity and a sense of responsibility for it
• Economic—Humans rely on biodiversity for raw resources for use and industry. Biodiversity is essential to many livelihoods, including that of farmers, fishermen, and forest workers
• Recreation— Camping, hiking, fishing and birdwatching, are just a few of the leisure activities that rely on our unique biodiversity. Biodiversity is also important to our tourist economy

Threats to Biodiversity

Humans have come to dominate the earth over the last century, generating fast ecological change and enormous biodiversity loss all across the world. As a result, some individuals have coined the term “Anthropocene” to describe the current epoch. While changes and extinctions have always occurred on Earth, they are now occurring at an astonishing rate. Habitat loss and degradation, inefficient resource use, invasive plants, pollution, and global climate change are all major direct threats to biodiversity. The fundamental causes of biodiversity loss, such as population growth and overconsumption, are frequently complicated and include a number of interconnected processes.

Conclusion

In this article we studied different aspects of biodiversity, along with types, importance and threats to biodiversity. Forests and woods are decreasing, and with them, species that might become incredibly valuable resources in the future, not just for food, but also for curing diseases and other purposes. Genes from many species might be important resources in the future for addressing human needs and managing environmental issues. Hence conservation of biodiversity is extremely important. Conservation of Biodiversity refers to ways that one can uplift, maintain, and protect biodiversity.