The term Biodiversity is the short form of Biological Diversity.
It is widely believed that the term was first used by Walter G. Rosen in 1986. While many sources give credit to Walter G. Rosen for coining it, the term was used earlier by Laura Tangley and Robert L. Peters in their articles.
This shows that the term naturally came about among scientists at the time, shortening “Biological” and “Diversity” to “Biodiversity”.
Defining Biodiversity
Biodiversity is defined as the variety and variability among all groups of living organisms and the ecosystem in which they live.
Biodiversity defines the variety of life forms present on our planet. It includes all living organisms, from plants and animals to microorganisms.
Article 2 of the Convention on Biodiversity defines the term,
“Biological diversity” means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.”
According to World Wildlife Fund Inc,
“Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter.”
Levels of Biological Diversity
Biological diversity is generally considered at 3 different levels;
- Genetic Diversity
- Species Diversity
- Ecosystem Diversity
Genetic Diversity: Genes are transmitted from one generation to another. They are the basic unit of heredity information. The combination of genes brings in the variety among individual species.
Species Diversity: Species diversity refers to the discrete group of organisms that are of the same kinds. It is the sum of the varieties at the species level among all the living organisms. Wheat, apple, rice, grapes, etc., are plant species.
Ecosystem Diversity: Ecosystem diversity refers to the biotic components and abiotic components interactions that bring about diversity at the habitat and ecological levels.
Biotic components include animals, plants, and micrograms that interact and influence abiotic components such as air, water, and soil.
A region can have different ecosystems showing the ecosystem diversity.
The physical parameters such as temperature, altitude, latitude, moisture, and precipitation, also bring about variations at the ecosystem levels. Tropical rainforests, forests, deserts, mountains, and wetlands are all different ecosystems.
Why is Biodiversity important?
Biodiversity is vital for sustaining life on Earth.
The stability of ecosystems is essential for human well-being. Due to biodiversity, we get food, medicine, clean air and water, and other resources that support the life system on Earth.
Plants provide us with food, medicine, and raw materials for products like paper and textiles. Animals contribute to pollination, pest control, and soil fertility – all vital processes for agriculture.
Take, for example, pollination.
Without the diverse range of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds, many plants would be unable to reproduce and produce fruits and seeds.
Not only that, biodiversity is critical in regulating our climate by absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
It also helps in regulating temperature and weather patterns through plant transpiration. It also supports essential ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, pollination, and decomposition.
It also helps in reducing the impact of natural disasters and hazards. For instance, the impacts of floods and droughts are reduced by it acting as a natural barrier against them.
Aside from its environmental significance, biodiversity also has economic benefits.
Many industries rely heavily on natural resources derived from ecosystem services such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. These industries generate trillions of dollars annually worldwide, providing livelihoods for millions of people.
It also contributes to the cultural diversity of communities around the world. Many cultures rely on biodiversity for their way of life, cultural practices, and traditions.
- Biodiversity plays an important role in protecting the fresh air we breathe. It protects clean water and productive land.
- Biodiversity is important for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.
- Biodiversity loss results in major economic and social costs for countries.
- Humans depend on plants, animals and microorganisms for food, medicine, industrial products, etc.
Conservation of Biodiversity
There has always been a growing concern that there is a growing need to learn about and distinguish the huge number of species on earth.
Taxonomists have named approximately 1.7 million species so far. This constitutes a very small percentage of all species as estimates range from 3 million to 100 million or even more.
In UN Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro Brazil in 1992, where the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted, marked a significant step in global efforts to protect and conserve biodiversity.
The Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity is described as “biomass”. Biomass is the largest ecological unit. Different geographic regions have different proportions of biomass.
For example, rainforests are rich in species diversity. They are known as the storehouse of biodiversity because about 50-80% of global Biodiversity lies in them.
Meanwhile tropical forest present much less biodiversity. However, the documentation of these species is much better.
Conservation of biodiversity is carried out to:
- Manage, preserve, and protect diverse species and their natural habitats.
- Maintain all the essential ecological processes that are vital for life on Earth.
- Preserve the integrity and inherent value of natural ecosystems.
- Use species, ecosystems, and ecological systems sustainably.
- Prevent the exploitation and overutilization of biological resources.
- Preserve, conserve, and protect flora and fauna, biosphere reserves, natural resources, national parks, and sanctuaries.
- Properly manage and utilize land use for food production.
- Conserve the genetic diversity of biological resources for medical uses.
- Limit or prohibit hunting, poaching of animals, and fishing beyond the productive capacity of natural systems.
- Raise public awareness about sustainability and biodiversity conservation processes.
- Share the biological benefits among local communities fairly and equitably.
- Learn more about the evolutionary processes of living organisms.
Human Activities as a Threat to Biodiversity
Despite the importance of biodiversity, the survival of species and their populations and habitats globally are severely threatened by human activities such as deforestation, overexploitation of resources, pollution of air, land, and oceans, etc.
The environmental movements around the world call for the management and conservation of biotic wealth. The urgent need to restore degraded ecosystems is also essential.
Human sustenance has been directly or indirectly dependent on global biodiversity.
The booming population, urbanization, and modern development-based economies have led to a heavy-paced depletion of Earth’s natural resources.
There are countless species of plants and animals in forests making them the most diverse ecosystems on earth.
A significant contributor to the decline and loss of biodiversity is deforestation.
Human activities are the main reason responsible for deforestation. The rapid increase in population has led to a rise in demand for land for agricultural purposes, settlements, and industrial development.
Every year, millions of hectares of forests are cleared for industrial development or agricultural means. This has resulted in the loss of habitat for species. These contributors not only affect larger animals but also insects, birds, plants, and microorganisms.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), approximately 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been lost in the last 50 years, mostly due to human activity.
One of the key prospects of biodiversity conservation today is the management of human activities that result in the loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, and ultimately extinction of many valuable species.
Humans are constantly interacting with nature. Our actions have a direct and indirect impact on the biodiversity around us.
Deforestation and urbanization which are by-products of rapidly increasing human population have led to the destruction of habitats for many species of plants and animals. This loss of habitat not only affects the organisms themselves but also disrupts entire food chains.
Forest destruction results in soil erosion. The water quality is reduced. Trees help prevent erosion as they can hold onto soil particles with their roots.
Trees allow water to seep into the ground preventing it from running off into rivers and lakes. Groundwater sources are fresh and naturally clean. Without the natural protection, water sources would become contaminated with sediments or pollutants..
Fallen leaves and dead trees decompose into nutrients that replenish the soil. This is essential in promoting plant growth. However, due to deforestation, there are fewer nutrients available for plant growth.
Overhunting and overfishing are yet another human activity contributing to the loss of biodiversity.
Pollution from industries, vehicles, and other sources also has a detrimental impact on biodiversity. Chemical pollutants can seep into water bodies leading to water pollution. Pollutants that end up in oceans cause marine pollution.
Air pollution impacts plant life. Its contribution to global climate change is another major threat to biodiversity.
Climate change is resulting in rising temperatures and rainfall patterns. This disrupts natural processes like pollination and migration. It also poses a threat to species that have adapted to specific climatic conditions and particular habitats.
For example, polar bears and other Arctic species are threatened by the loss of sea ice. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has shown that climate change accelerates species loss.
Biodiversity is not just a term to describe the number of different species, but it also represents genetic diversity within a species. Genetic diversity allows organisms to adapt to changing environments.
By walking, biking, or using public transportation instead of driving, we can reduce our environmental impact. Using renewable energy, like solar panels, also reduces our impact.
Supporting local, organic farming and properly disposing of waste helps protect wildlife. Learning eco-friendly habits can raise awareness. Sustainable actions, no matter how little, can make a difference.
Biodiversity conservation is critical, there is no denying that. A healthy ecosystem with diverse species will better withstand environmental changes and pollution.
However, human activities have resulted in deforestation, pollution, and climate change which have become major threats to Earth’s biodiversity.
Global efforts to manage, conserve, and protect nature’s biological diversity are critical for ecological stability, ecosystem, and human well-being.
