Importance of Biodiversity Conservation

Biodiversity refers to all of the different living forms that exist on the planet, including animals, plants, microbes and the ecosystems in which they reside. Biological resources, such as genes, species, organisms and ecosystems, constitute biodiversity. Species, genetic, ecological and global biodiversity are the four main levels of biodiversity.

Biodiversity is important for sustaining the environment’s integrity and aesthetic value and the overall well-being of all plant and animal species. Biodiversity protection is crucial for all living things and their natural habitats to survive.

What is the importance of biodiversity?

Biodiversity is essential in almost every element of our life. We value biodiversity for a variety of practical and intrinsic reasons. The numerous necessities humans acquire from nature include food, fuel, shelter and medicine. Ecosystems also perform important functions such as pollination, seed distribution, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling and pest control. There is as yet a large part of our biodiversity that remains undiscovered, for instance, new medications and alternative fuels.

Biodiversity threats

Humans have dominated the planet over the last century, generating rapid ecosystem change and enormous biodiversity loss globally. As a result, some people have coined the term “anthropocene” to describe the current epoch. While changes and extinctions have always occurred on earth, they are now occurring rapidly. Habitat loss and fragmentation, unsustainable resource use, invasive species, 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 involve several interconnected processes.

Various methods for biodiversity conservation

“Biodiversity” is the diversity of life on earth; it includes plant and animal life on land and water. With entire species of plants and animals dwindling at an alarming rate, there is a need to protect whatever remains. There are many ways to preserve biodiversity of our planet. These include:

• Conservation in situ
• Conservation ex-situ

Conservation in situ

This involves the conservation of species in their natural habitat. This strategy to conserve species in their home has numerous benefits. Some of them are:

• It is practical and cost-effective.
• It enables the protection of numerous species at the same time.
• Being in their natural environment gives organisms a better chance to evolve and adapt to changing conditions.

Some examples of protected regions of in-situ conservation include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.

National parks are protected areas under strict government control. Human activities such as grazing, forestry and cultivation are prohibited inside national parks. Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh and Bandipur National Park in Karnataka are examples of national parks in India.

Wildlife sanctuaries are areas where wild animals can be found. Human activities including timber harvesting, agriculture, gathering wood and other forest products are permitted here if they do not hamper conservation efforts. Tourism is also encouraged in these areas.

Biosphere reserves are typically larger than national parks and sanctuaries and usually encompass one or two of these. While the core areas are completely off bounds for tourism and other economic activities, the buffer zones are open for certain activities. All forms of life, including flora, fauna and indigenous people of the area, are protected in a biosphere reserve.

Ex-situ conservation

In ex-situ biodiversity conservation, endangered species live in artificial habitats like zoos, nurseries, botanical gardens and gene banks. Being a controlled environment, there is less rivalry among species for basic sustenance such as food, water and space in ex-situ conservation. Some benefits of ex-situ conservation include: 

• More time and opportunity for the animals to breed.
• Many species bred in captivity will be released into the wild.
• Genetic approaches to preserve endangered species.

Why is it important to protect biodiversity?

An area with a higher species abundance has a more stable ecology than one with a lower species abundance. We might also argue that biodiversity is necessary when considering our reliance on the environment. For our diverse needs, we rely directly on various plant species. Similarly, we depend on numerous animal and microorganism species for various reasons.

Biodiversity is being lost due to habitat loss, resource overexploitation, climate changes, pollution, invasive exotic species, illnesses, and hunting. It is critical to protect biodiversity since it offers us several economic and ethical benefits and aesthetic value.

Conclusion

Biodiversity conservation or safeguarding and preserving the world’s rich natural history and species diversity, habitats, ecosystems and genetic variation is critical for human health and wealth. It contributes significantly to a variety of development sectors. Conservation of biodiversity is critical for economic growth and poverty alleviation.