Biodiversity: Definition, Importance, Diagrams

Importance of Biodiversity: The value of biodiversity is of major importance as without it, life would not sustain on earth. Biodiversity is of importance as it offers different species, plants, animals, and bacteria, as well as their frequencies on this sphere. A high level of biodiversity is generally regarded as beneficial and desirable, as it leads to community stability and increased productivity.

 In this article, we will look at why sustaining a high level of biodiversity in a given location is critical to its biotic community. Biodiversity is essential for ecological balance to be maintained. It also aids human survival and the survival of other species in the ecosystem. It also aids in the maintenance of high productivity and human wellness.

Biodiversity Definition

“Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region. It refers to the varieties of plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form”. The term biodiversity was given by Edward Wilson. Biodiversity is a combination of two words ‘bio’ and ‘diversity”.

NCERT Book

Figure: Diagram of Biodiversity

What is the Importance of Biodiversity?

Biodiversity plays a significant role in maintaining ecological balance. It also helps in the survival of humankind and other species present in the ecosystem. In addition, it helps in maintaining high productivity and human health.

Biodiversity exhibits valuable genetic diversity for humankind. Genetic material is the end product of millions of years of evolution, and hence the preservation of biodiversity is essential. The level of biodiversity is a good indicator of our relationship with other living species. It also represents the involvement and the role of each species to make a healthy ecosystem.

Biodiversity Diagram

Figure: Diagram of Importance of Biodiversity

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is significant for the well-being of our planet. Most cultures, at least at some time, have recognized the importance of conserving natural resources. Many still do, but many do not.
Importance of Biodiversity can be classified as:
1. Ecological Importance
2. Economic Importance
3. Social Importance
4. Ethical Importance
5. Scientific Importance

Ecological Importance

Given below are some of the points which highlight the importance of biodiversity in an ecosystem:

1. Controlling Soil Erosion: Soil organisms provide resistance to erosion by improving the entry and storage of water, which holds soil and roots.
2. Improvement of Soil Quality: Healthy biodiversity will increase the resilience of the soil to environmental challenges. The biological, physical, and chemical aspects of soil must be in balance. Good soil encourages good agriculture. Among all the classifications, the importance of biodiversity in agriculture is of paramount importance.
3. Formation of a Healthy Ecosystem: Biodiversity is important to maintain a healthy ecosystem that supplies oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services. Plants produce oxygen via the process of photosynthesis. Humans breathe oxygen and give off carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by trees. This forms a cycle that shows how all species are connected to each other in this ecosystem.
4. Protection of Species in the Ecosystem: Biodiversity helps in improving a healthy ecosystem where all forms of species can survive and grow. A large and significant number of plant species can provide a variety of crops. A wide variety of species ensures a smooth implementation of natural processes for a sustainable ecosystem. It also helps in protecting species diversity and their habitats.
5. Pollution Management: Biodiversity plays a very vital role in controlling pollution. As the trees and other vegetation absorb pollutants such as excessive nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter, it thereby helps to improve air quality.
6. Nutrient Recycling: Biodiversity plays a significant role in recycling nutrients. For example, plants take nutrients from the soil and the air, and these nutrients can then form the basis of food chains, which is used by a wide range of other life forms.
7. Source of Knowledge: Biodiversity is very important as a source of knowledge. Many ecologists and scientists do their research about ecosystems based on the structure of biodiversity.
8. Reduction of risk from Natural Disasters: Healthy biodiversity is very important in risk reduction from a natural disaster. By preventing deforestation and controlling soil erosion, we can reduce the risks from natural disasters and climate shocks.

Economic Importance

1. Source of Food: Biodiversity is important to provide food to all living organisms in this ecosystem. Agriculture is a source that provides food for human beings, trees, and plants to animals. Other small organisms also get their food from different food sources available in this ecosystem.
2. Source of Fuel: Biodiversity helps in getting fossil fuel, petrol, natural gas. It also helps in the sustainable growth of wood by increasing forests which is a common form of wood fuel used in day-to-day life.
3. Protection of natural resources: High biodiversity is rich in biological wealth.  It is also an indicator of high levels of natural resources. It ensures clean air, water, fertile soil, and a healthy ecosystem.
4. Development of Medicine: Our scientists have developed many medicines through plants and other living organisms found in this ecosystem which has helped to make medicine for many incurable diseases.
5. Economic growth and poverty reduction: Rich biodiversity is vital for economic growth and poverty reduction. Biodiversity is a chief source of raw materials for the industries, and food and herbs play an essential role in the development of the economy. It also provides economic support to farmers, fishers, and the poor population in rural areas by creating job opportunities that reduce poverty.
6. Source of Tourism: Biodiversity plays essential role in the development of tourism. It creates a natural tourism attraction – such as wildlife watching, scuba diving, trekking, hiking, bird watching, and camping.

Social Importance

Biodiversity plays a crucial role to provide social benefits, such as improved employment and the social services provided for vulnerable rural people for their development.

Ethical Importance

Healthy biodiversity has the ethical importance of protecting all forms of life. All living beings have the right to exist on earth. Morality and ethics teach us not to harm any organism unnecessarily, but, unfortunately, some people take pleasure in hunting animals.

Scientific Importance

The scientific importance of biodiversity is to perform experiments and research on plants and genes of organisms to make new crops and medicines. It also helps scientists to find clues about the evolution of life in certain species. Humans use scientific research on different species and plants to develop their knowledge. It represents systematic ecological data that helps us to understand the natural world and its origins.

Figure: Functions of Biodiversity

Importance of Biodiversity Process

The process of biodiversity conservation planning on a broad scale is done through Spatial Components of Biodiversity processes (SCBPs). This method is based on a literature review, expert knowledge, spatially explicit base data, conservation planning software, and spatial modeling. The importance and biodiversity uses has gained momentum in the past few years.

Did you know?

1. Earth provides a home to \(80,000\) slugs and snails.
2. The recorded number of frog species is \(5000.\)
3. Our planet is home to \(3,000\) species of snakes, \(25000\) kinds of fish.
4. The estimated number of species of insects on this earth is between \(2\) and \(30\) million.

Summary

This article showcases the significance of biodiversity for all living organisms of the ecosystem, including humankind. The importance of biodiversity to humans cannot be overlooked due to developmental projects. This argument focuses on the conservation of all species, even if they are ecologically equivalent species.

Biodiversity also performs several ecological services having economic, aesthetic, and recreational value. Today’s biodiversity is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, created by natural processes and by the increase of human influence.

FAQs on Biodiversity

Q.1: What are the five benefits of biodiversity?
Ans: Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development and human well-being. It is a vital source of food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and other materials for domestic and commercial purposes.

Q.2: Why Is biodiversity important?
Ans: Biodiversity is essential to humans for ecological life support; biodiversity gives a functioning ecosystem that provides oxygen, clear air and water, plant, pest control, wastewater treatment, and many ecosystem services.

Q.3: What is biodiversity?
Ans: “Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region. It refers to the varieties of plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form”.

Q.4: Discuss about the various important roles of biodiversity in human life?
Ans: Biodiversity is essential to humans for ecological life support; biodiversity gives a functioning ecosystem that provides oxygen, clear air and water, plant, pest control, wastewater treatment, and many ecosystem services. It offers an environment for recreation and tourism.

Q.5: What is the importance of biodiversity in ecosystem?
Ans: Biodiversity contributes to a variety of ways to the Earth. Biodiversity provides ecological stability. Every species performs a particular function within an ecosystem.

Q.6: What are the five benefits of biodiversity?
Ans: The five benefits of biodiversity are as follows:
a. It increases the productivity of the ecosystem.
b. It protects freshwater resources.
c. It controls pollution, flood, and soil erosion.
d. It provides food resources.
e. It helps in climate stability.

Q.7: How do humans affect biodiversity?
Ans: Humans affect biodiversity by their population numbers, land use, and lifestyles, causing damage to habitats for species.

Q.8: What are the different types of biodiversity?
Ans: The different types of biodiversity include: Ecological Biodiversity, Genetic Biodiversity and Species Biodiversity.

Q.9: Why is Biodiversity crisis so important to consider?
Ans: Biodiversity crisis is a serious problem. It is crucial to the survival for all the living organisms in this planet. If biodiversity crisis is not taken care of, it is result in the extinction of various species on this planet. There will be more of pandemic concerns like the outbreak of Coronavirus. This is what makes Biodiversity of such significant concern.