Biodiversity and Its Impact on the Environment

Let us first define biodiversity and understand what the term implies. Biodiversity means the variety of plants, animals, fungi, and even microbes such as bacteria that make up our natural environment. Each species and organism works with each other in ecosystems to preserve balance and support life, much like an elaborate web. Some say that without biodiversity, there is no future for humanity.

When we define biodiversity, it means it encompasses not only species that are unusual or endangered but also all living things, from people to bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates, to name a few. In a more philosophical sense, biodiversity reflects the knowledge gained by developing species over long periods about how to live in the immensely varied environmental situations that the earth has faced. Biodiversity has deemed the variety of life and can be studied on many levels.

The Value of Biodiversity

The value of biodiversity is immense for human health and its well-being, economic development, security, food safety, and other important aspects to all humans and communities. We appreciate biodiversity both for the benefits it gives to us and for its intrinsic value. The numerous necessities humans acquire from biodiversities, such as food, shelter, fuel, and medicine, are practical benefits. The earth’s biodiversity contributes to the natural and agricultural systems’ production. Pollinators include insects, birds, bats, and other creatures. 

Parasites and predators can provide natural pest controls. Various organisms are in charge of recycling organic substances and keeping soil productive. Food, health, and shelter have always depended on the earth’s biodiversity. 

Biodiversity also provides us with indirect services that are sometimes overlooked. Drinkable water, fertile soils, and good air are among them. The loss of species or groupings of species from an ecosystem can cause the ecosystem’s normal function to be disrupted and these ecological services to be disrupted. E.g., the honeybee population decrease may result in a loss of pollination services for fruit and floral crops. Biodiversity serves as a paradigm for medical research on human health issues. Researchers are studying how whales, seals, and penguins use oxygen during deep-water dives to see if they may learn how to treat shocks, strokes, and lung illness in humans.

The Threats to Biodiversity 

As humans place more demands on the world, using and absorbing more resources as we go, we risk disrupting ecosystems and reducing biodiversity. It is immensely important to understand the value of biodiversity as humans. A living planet report by WWF in 2020 states that there has been an average of 68% decline in the populations of fish, mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

Three-quarters of the land ecosystem has been extensively transformed, while around 66 % of the water environment has been significantly impacted. Crop and livestock production now takes up more than a third of the world’s land surface and almost 75% of freshwater resources.

Other stresses on the environment and human well-being are exacerbated by climate change. Humans have overexploited the oceans, deforested forests, poisoned our water supplies, and compounded the climate problem. These acts affect biodiversity all around the planet, from the farthest reaches of the globe to our backyards.

Many of our medicines and other complicated chemicals like latex and rubber come from plants. It is becoming increasingly clear that spending time in nature improves people’s physical and emotional well-being. In cities, simply having green areas and trees has reduced hospital admissions, stress, and blood pressure.

Conclusion

We must rebuild the network of biodiversity that supports the iconic wildlife that we all love to protect. This is accomplished by rethinking how we use natural resources, reducing strain on ecosystems, and enabling ecosystems to recover. Plants, fish, insects, animals, birds, and even people gain from this process. There are various ways to contribute towards preserving biodiversity for future generations to enjoy the same gift of nature that we have enjoyed. While large-scale behavioural changes, legislation, and actions to safeguard biodiversity will be necessary, people can play an important role. Individuals can start reducing consumption habits by making deliberate decisions about the food they consume, the products they buy, and their services.