Biodiversity Unit 9 PDF

BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity o Biodiversity is the variability within and between ecosystems, species and genes. o It is the Biological wealth of the world. o Biodiversity is the product of hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Species biodiversity 8.7 million eukaryotic species on Eart...

BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity o Biodiversity is the variability within and between ecosystems, species and genes. o It is the Biological wealth of the world. o Biodiversity is the product of hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Species biodiversity 8.7 million eukaryotic species on Earth. 2.16 million species have been described. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species. Number of described species Importance of biodiversity Biodiversity is significant for the well-being of our planet. Importance of Biodiversity can be classified as: 1. Ecological Importance 2. Economic Importance 3. Social Importance 4. Ethical Importance 5. Scientific Importance Ecological importance of biodiversity Controlling soil erosion. Plants prevent soil being washed away and the siltation of rivers and reservoirs. Improvement of soil quality. Activities of microbes and animals break down soil organic matter and release essential nutrient elements for the use of plants. Formation of a healthy ecosystem. Biodiversity is essential for the formation and maintenance of a healthy ecosystem. Protection of species in the ecosystem. The survival of species depends on biodiversity. Pollination and crop production. Many plants and more than one third of our food crops depend on bees, butterflies, bats and birds for their pollination. Ecological importance of biodiversity Pollution management. Plants regulate the composition of atmosphere, recycling oxygen and filtering harmful components. Wetland ecosystem treat sewage and cleanse wastes. Trees and soils cleanse water, making it pure again. Nutrient recycling. Nutrient recycling (ecological recycling) ensures the movement and exchange of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of matter. Source of knowledge. Significant medical and pharmacological discoveries are made through greater understanding of the earth's biodiversity. Economic importance of biodiversity Source of Food: Provides food to all living organisms. Source of Fuel: Helps in getting fossil fuel, petrol, natural gas. Protection of natural resources: Ensures clean air, water, fertile soil, and healthy ecosystem. Development of Medicine: Many medicines have been developed through plants and other living organisms. Economic growth and poverty reduction: Important for economic growth and poverty reduction. Source of raw materials for the industries. Source of Tourism: Natural tourism attraction (wildlife watching, scuba diving, trekking, hiking, bird watching, and camping). Other importance of biodiversity Social Importance Biodiversity plays a crucial role to provide social benefits, such as employment and other social services. Ethical Importance Healthy biodiversity has the ethical importance of protecting all forms of life. Scientific Importance The scientific importance of biodiversity is to do research on organisms and their genomes. Threats to biodiversity Biodiversity is in serious trouble. Present species extinction rates are 1000 folds of pre-human times. 1 million species are threatened with extinction right now. Ecosystem services 1. Provisioning Services : Food, water and resources, including wood, oil and genetic resources and medicines. 2. Regulating Services : Climate regulation, flood regulation and other natural hazard regulation, pollination, water purification. 3. Cultural Services : Include non-material benefits like spiritual enrichment, intellectual development, recreation and aesthetic values. 4. Supporting Services : Relate to habitat functioning like photosynthesis, the water cycle and nutrient cycles Threats to biodiversity 60% of ecosystem services became degraded during the last 50 years due to land- and ocean- use practices. Biodiversity is being lost even before it develops fully. This would limit the evolutionary capability of biota to adjust to the environmental changes. Causes of biodiversity loss Pollution. Habitat loss. Invasive species. Overexploitation of preferred species. Natural disasters. Hunting. Climate change. Increasing population, resource consumption, urbanization. Natural or background extinction Some species are replaced by new ones, better adapted to changed conditions, at very slow rate. Great oxygen catastrophe Occurred when cyanobacteria living in the oceans started producing oxygen through photosynthesis. As oxygen built up in the atmosphere anaerobic bacteria were killed leading to the Earth's first mass extinction. Occurred 2.4 billion years ago. Human interventions Habitat loss Hunting Over exploitation Collection for zoo and research Introduction of exotic species Control of pest and predators Pollution Deforestation Biodiversity conservation Essential to maintain human life support system. Necessary for maintaining the biotic wealth of the earth. Protection of wild species. Safeguarding of genetic diversity. Living in harmony with nature, maintaining biodiversity and sharing the benefits to all. Biodiversity conservation: Traditional methods In situ conservation: Biosphere reserves National parks Wild life sanctuaries Other protected areas Ex-situ conservation Conserved species can be re-introduced back in the natural habitat. Gene banks in the fields and the laboratories and in vitro storage. Zoos are centres for ex-situ conservation of animals. Efficient conservation of biodiversity Requires application of both traditional and modern knowledge of biodiversity and biological resources. Biotechnological tools Biotechnological tools can be effectively utilized for the conservation of biodiversity. Tissue culture. Cryopreservation. DNA banking. Repository of plant genetic resources. Understanding biodiversity Documenting its composition, distribution, structure, and function. Understanding roles and functions of genes, species, and ecosystems. Indirect drivers Increased public participation, respect for basic human rights and improved access to information. Share the costs and benefits of biodiversity conservation among nations and people. Promote participatory biodiversity conservation. Establish people’s biodiversity registry. Establish integrated biodiversity observation system. Global initiatives on biodiversity protection and utilisation Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is ratified by 196 nations in 1993. It is for "the conservation of biological diversity, its sustainable use and the fair and equitable sharing of its benefits. Nagoya Protocol (2010) is an international agreement for access and benefit sharing (ABS) in biological diversity (2010). Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000) seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms. Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) aims to transform society’s relationship with biodiversity, to protect 30 % of lands, oceans, coastal areas and inland waters as well as to cut food waste by half.