Advantages and Disadvantages of Biodiversity

The diversity of life found on Earth, in all its manifestations, from genes and microbes to complete ecosystems like forests or coral reefs, is known as biological diversity, or also known as biodiversity. After 5 billion years of evolution, which was increasingly affected by humans, we now have the variety we witness. We rely on the biodiverse web of life for a variety of necessities, including nutrition, water, medicines, a stable climate, and economic progress. The natural world is a major contributor to the global GDP. The livelihoods of over 1 billion people depend on trees, and more than 50% of all carbon emissions are absorbed by land and the ocean.

Nature, though, is in trouble. Up to a million species might go extinct in the next several decades. Deforestation is converting irreplaceable ecosystems, such as portions of the Amazon rainforest, from carbon sinks to sources of carbon. And 85 percent of wetlands, including carbon-absorbing mangrove swamps and salt marshes, have vanished.

Why is Biodiversity so crucial?

"One of the most priceless and significant things we have is biodiversity." While we frequently assume that it is only pleasant to look at and take pleasure in spending time in, the truth is that it is much more. Without biodiversity, both human and animal life would be completely incapable of surviving. We depend on nature to give us clean water and food, many medications, and the ability to avoid major weather events like flooding. The natural ecosystems all around us give so much to us; they are very essential to life as we know it. We mistakenly believe that removing one species or one piece of trash will make everything ok, yet the many animals and vegetation are vitally tied to one another in ways that are not always understood.

"The loss of biodiversity is a tremendous catastrophe because it is so essential to our long-term existence." We've focused so much attention on climate change in recent years, and while it is something we should all take very seriously, if we only address the climate problem and ignore the biodiversity catastrophe, there will likely be mass extinctions. It also refer to the mass extinction of mankind as well as animals and plants.

Naturally, that is a terrible thought, but we must address both. They are equal and complementary issues. If we don't address the biodiversity catastrophe, we risk running out of food and experiencing increasingly severe natural disasters. The more we encroach on natural areas, the more likely it is that zoonotic diseases like COVID-19, will spread to humans. We must halt and stop the current downward trend.

Forms of Biodiversity

1. Species variety

The variety of various species that may be found in a given location is referred to as "species diversity." It represents biodiversity at its most fundamental level. It encompasses every species, from different types of plants to bacteria.

2. Genetic diversity

It alludes to the differences in an organism's genetic makeup. The genetic makeup of every member of a species varies from that of the others. Members belonging to the same species differ slightly from one another. Humans, for instance, exhibit a great deal of variation within themselves. Because of this, every human being has a unique appearance. Rice, wheat, millet, barley, and other plants all belong to the same species but come in a variety of forms.

3. Ecological diversity

A collection of both living and inanimate objects and their interactions. Ecological biodiversity is the diversity of species of plants and animals that coexist and are linked by food webs and food chains. It is the diversification that may be seen among a region's many ecosystems. Ecological diversity is present in a variety of environments, such as deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc.

Given that there are still a lot of species to be discovered, scientists are curious about how much diversity there is on a worldwide level. They also research the number of species that may be found in a particular environment, such as a lake, grassland, tundra, or woodland. Beetles, snakes, antelopes, and many more species can be found in a single meadow. The warm, humid climate of tropical areas is an example of an optimum environmental setting for plant development in ecosystems that support the greatest biodiversity. Species that are too tiny to perceive with the human eye also exist in ecosystems.

Microscopically examining soil or water samples shows a vast array of microorganisms and other microscopic creatures. The world has certain regions with greater biodiversity than others, including parts of Mexico, Africa, the Amazon, the southwest United States, and Madagascar. Hotspots are places with exceptionally high biodiversity levels. Hotspots are also home to endemic species, which can only be found in a single place.

For the sake of survival and the preservation of their ecosystems, all species on Earth cooperate. For instance, cattle are fed on the grass in pastures. The dung that cattle then create replenishes soil nutrients and encourages further grass growth. Additionally, farmland may be fertilized with this manure. Humans benefit greatly from many species, especially in the areas of food, shelter, and medicine.

However, due to human consumerism and other practices that disrupt or even destroy ecosystems, a large portion of the Earth's biodiversity is in danger.

Threats to biodiversity include population expansion, pollution, and climate change. The rate of extinction of species has increased at an unexpected rate as a result of these concerns. Some experts predict that during the next century, half of any Earth's species will become extinct. Conservation measures are required to maintain biodiversity and save vulnerable species and their natural habitats.

Wildlife is frequently something that people who live in cities and towns watch on television. However, the truth is that biodiversity eventually contributes to your ability to breathe, drink, and consume. Examples include the evident lack of oxygen without plants and the absence of fruit or nuts without bee pollination. Others are less evident, such as trees that may filter smog in cities and coral and mangrove swamps that offer coastal residents' important shelter from hurricanes and tsunamis.

Others look strange, such as spider monkeys and tropical tortoises, which don't seem to have anything to do with preserving a steady temperature. However, the thick, hardwood trees that are the most capable of removing the atmosphere's carbon dioxide rely on these huge fruit-eaters spreading their seeds. Numerous such relationships, all fine-tuned by thousands of years of evolution, are discovered by scientists as they investigate each ecosystem. If unharmed, this results in a perfectly balanced, healthy system that supports a healthy, sustainably-run world.

Humans also benefit from biodiversity's sheer wealth. A fungus that develops on sloths' fur and can combat cancer is only one of the many novel medications that are derived from nature. It's also important to have wild variants of tamed animals and plants since some of them may already know how to deal with problems like famine or salty soils. If the value is determined by money, ecosystem services are projected to be worth billions of dollars, or twice the global GDP. Every single individual among the thousands of species is distinctive from an aesthetic standpoint; they are all works of natural beauty that, once destroyed, cannot be recovered.

Sixth mass extinction

In the lengthy history of life, there have been five catastrophic extinctions of species, brought on by enormous volcanic eruptions, protracted cold ages, meteorite strikes, and colliding continents. However, other researchers think the sixth major extinction has already started.

This one is significantly different because it was brought on by a single species-us-rather than by geology or a shift in the environment. Today, 25-40% of the world's "primary output," or the energy that plants collect and on which all diversification depends, is consumed by ourselves and our animals. Throughout the entire world, we have evolved into ravenous apex predators.

According to one estimate, humans and domesticated animals make up 97% of the world's vertebrate land animals by weight, with only 3% being wild species. Another result of our dominance is that humans are influencing evolution in many different ways, most notably through the domestication of animals and plants but also by genetic manipulation and even the management of wildlife reserves.

What is feasible?

The only solution is to give nature the room and protection it needs. The obvious approach is to create wildlife reserves, and presently 15 percent of the surface and 7 percent of water are under protection worldwide. However, some contend that at least 50% of the area should be reserved for nature.

The increasing number of people is a problem, and wildlife reserves are ineffective if they make it difficult for locals to make a livelihood. An extreme example is the poaching problem affecting rhinos and elephants in Africa. The secret is to increase the value of the animals while they are still alive, for instance, by promoting tourism or paying farmers for cattle lost to wild predators. But it may force hard decisions. Big game "trophy hunting" is frowned upon by many. Should it be allowed if the shootings are conducted ethically, such as by only safeguarding and slaughtering old lions, and the money earned is used for a sizable area of land?

We can all pitch in. When land is removed for livestock, soy, palm oil, lumber, and leather, the majority of wildlife is wiped off. The majority of us regularly use these products since palm oil is included in so many meals and personal care items. Reduced consumption of meat, specifically beef, which has a disproportionately large environmental footprint, as well as choosing only sustainable choices are both beneficial.

Another strategy is to quantify the financial worth of the ecological services given as "natural capital" to emphasize the significance of biodiversity. This can occasionally result in actual savings. New York has invested $2 billion in safeguarding the biological watershed that provides the town with clean water over the past 20 years.

90% of the water does not require further filtration thanks to its success; constructing a water treatment facility would have cost $10 billion.

Next, what?

Finding the threshold when biodiversity loss turns into an ecosystem disaster is a top issue. Biodiversity is huge, and research funding is scarce, but accelerating analysis-from real-time DNA sequencing to automatically recognizing animals using machine learning-might help.

The creation of an open-source genomic database for all living things, including single-celled creatures, plants, and animals, is even a goal of one project. It contends that developing business prospects, such as self-driving vehicle algorithms influenced by Amazonian ants, might offer the motivation to protect Earth's biodiversity.

However, other scientists contend that the terrible status of biodiversity is already obvious enough and that political will is the only thing lacking. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a worldwide agreement, has established several goals. Some of them are probably going to be accomplished. Others, like ensuring that fishing is sustainable worldwide by a certain date, are not. The next meeting of the 196 CBD members will take place in Cairo in November. Prof. E. O. Wilson came to the following conclusion in his text from 1985: "This being the last living planet we are likely to recognize, let us combine to make the best of it." This call has to be returned immediately.

The complex web of life, built over hundreds of billions of years, has also been upended by people moving species throughout the globe in the last ten thousand years. These invasive species have the power to destroy ecosystems that have never evolved defenses. Examples include rodents eating albatross chicks in their homes and snakehead fish destroying native species throughout the United States.

There is still more work to be done before we hit the 95% extinction rate witnessed in The Great Dying, 252 million years ago, and not all scientists think that the sixth mass extinction has already started. But all scientists concur that the present biodiversity losses indicate we are moving in that direction.

How varied is Biodiversity exactly?

Biodiversity is astonishingly diversified. Species are the easiest factor to take into account. There are an estimated 1.7 billion species of animals, plants, and fungi, but there are likely between 8 and 9 million more, and perhaps even 100 million. The tropics, which are teeming with species, are the center of biodiversity. For instance, there is the same number of tree species in the Borneo forest's 15 hectares as there are in all of North America.

Recent research on genetic variety has shown that certain organisms formerly assumed to be one species may be several. When bacteria and viruses are included, the number of different creatures might reach billions. 10,000 to 50,000 distinct varieties of bacteria may be discovered in a single spoon of soil, which eventually supplies 90% of all food.' The loss of many species before we even recognize them or understand the significance of their place in the cycle of life is a cause for concern.

How awful is it?

Large mammals like ourselves are the ones that have been researched the most thoroughly. For instance, the population of tigers has decreased by 97% during the past century. Think of the dodo or the woolly mammoth as examples of larger species that humans have already killed out in many locations. The pace of species extinction now is estimated to be 1,000 times greater than it was before people began to rule the world, and it may be even quicker than the losses that followed the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago due to a massive meteorite.

Due to a lack of data, only 5% of the known species have been evaluated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's "red list." However, it indicates that several of the best-known taxa, including 13% of birds, 41% of amphibians, and 25% of mammals, are vulnerable. The departure of the final member of the group, which is by definition uncommon, offers a clear but limited window into the erosion of biodiversity. The predicament of the most widespread animals in the world is being examined through new research that focuses on the decline in the overall number of species.

The outcomes are alarming. The number of creatures surviving on Earth has decreased by half since 1970, with billions of unique populations disappearing from every corner of the globe. The vast loss of wildlife is described by scholars as a "biological annihilation" and a "frightening attack based on human civilization," departing from the typically sombre tone of scientific articles.

How about below the ocean?

Even though humans lack gills, aquatic life has not been safeguarded. The two-thirds of the globe that is covered in seas are no better than the rest, and probably even less known. More than 3 billion people rely heavily on seafood as a source of nutrition, yet chronic overfishing has led catches to progressively decline since they were high in 1996, and more than half of the ocean is now actively fished for industrial purposes.

What is wiping off Biodiversity?

We are, especially as more people live on the planet and wild regions are destroying to make way for farms, homes, and industrial facilities. The first stage is frequently cutting down forests, and in 2016, 30 million hectares, or the size of Great Britain and Ireland, were destroyed globally. Another important aspect is illegal hunting for food and poaching. More than 300 animal species-including chimpanzees, hippos, and bats-are being wiped out by human activity.

Long-lasting industrial pollutants gravely affect orcas and dolphins, proving that pollution is a monster as well. A fungal illness that is considered to have been introduced globally by the pet industry has caused frogs to have one of the biggest decreases of any animal, which is another negative impact of global commerce.

Additionally, rats and other very destructive invasive species have spread throughout the globe due to global transportation. Rivers and lakes may be the most severely impacted environments, with aquatic animal populations there dropping by 81% since 1970 as a result of extensive water extraction for crops and humans, as well as pollution and dams.

Could the decline of Biodiversity endanger people more than climate change does?

Yes, none on Earth is going through greater significant change as a result of human activities. Even if it takes hundreds of years or millennia, climatic changes are reversible. However, once a species goes extinct, especially one that is undiscovered by science, there is no turning back.

The amount of biodiversity that the earth may lose before experiencing a widespread ecological collapse is unknown at this time. However, one method has evaluated what are known as "planetary borders," or points where Earth's systems meet that designate a "safe operating environment for mankind." Only biodiversity destruction and nitrogen pollution out of the nine factors are projected to have been exceeded, as opposed to CO₂ levels, freshwater consumption, and ozone losses.

Advantages of Biodiversity

An unprecedented level of biodiversity loss has occurred over the past 50 years as a result of extreme changes in land and sea usage as well as the overuse of natural resources. Natural habitats are being transformed into urban zones at an astonishing speed in a world that is becoming more and more urbanized. Cities have historically represented a danger to natural ecosystems and biodiversity, but they may also contribute to the solution.

The following list of 10 advantages demonstrates the need for local governments to foster urban biodiversity:

1. Ensure that natural ecosystems are healthy

Important ecosystem services are provided by protected green spaces and aquatic bodies. Cities can sustain healthy bio-diversity and maintain these vital ecosystems by building linear parks and green corridors that connect green areas across the city.

2. Enhance air quality

Air quality is a problem in many places and a top concern for several local governments due to the extensive combustion of fossil fuels in automobiles. By trapping the atmosphere's carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, biodiversity can help enhance air quality and lower the prevalence of respiratory conditions like asthma.

3. Make sure there is more water available and of greater quality in aquifers and reservoirs

Cities may decrease asphalted areas and boost permeable stretches by protecting wildlife inside their boundaries. Rainwater can seep through the soil and eventually reach aquifers and dams. The quantity of silt and other contaminants that enter the reservoirs is decreased by the roots' additional role as a natural filter.

4. Prevent landslides and lessen erosion risk

Direct rain and high gusts may easily damage degraded regions that have to lose their vegetative cover. These weather occurrences destabilize slopes, move silt, and degrade the soil from leaching, raising the danger of landslides. We lessen these effects and provide greater soil stability and quality by maintaining biodiversity in vulnerable areas.

5. Reduce the likelihood of severe events

Biodiversity is crucial for controlling the climate. The evaporation of the leaves promotes the creation of rain clouds and raises air humidity, while the plant's roots allow for higher water entry into the soil and aid in its retention of moisture over time. These elements, among numerous others, can lessen the impact of catastrophic occurrences like fires, floods, and droughts.

6. Control harmful animals and prevent sickness

We maintain trophic chains by protecting biodiversity. Predatory animals can manage the number of creatures that pose a threat to human health in this way. For instance, skunks were known to feed on scorpions, while fish were known to eat mosquito larvae.

7. Encourage wholesome urban food systems

Pollination is carried out by a variety of creatures, mostly insects like bees. Fruits, seeds, and other things that can be ingested by both people and wild animals will be produced as a result of this process. To feed the vast population living in cities, pollination guarantees the viability of agroforestry, green belts, and urban gardens.

8. To increase thermal comfort

Biodiversity encourages softer temperatures and higher air humidity, assuring comfort conditions and a stronger sense of well-being. This is especially true of trees with leafy tops.

9. Improve well-being and life quality

We are aware that social interaction and outdoor recreation are crucial to human growth and well-being. By maintaining biodiversity, cities may provide safe and healthy venues for social and recreational activities.

10. Educate people about living in harmony with other species

At the moment, cities are home to more than 50% of the world's population. Additionally, decisions that have a direct bearing on our everyday life are made in this setting. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage a climate of peaceful cohabitation with ecosystems to highlight its significance for people.

Disadvantages of Biodiversity

1. Economic impact of Biodiversity loss

Of course, the financial worth of biodiversity worldwide comes in first. The worth of species diversity has indeed been estimated to be in the billions in considerations of ecosystem services-activities like blooming, irrigation, topsoil reclamation, and other activities that would need to be compensated for if nature really cannot take care of it on its own. Due to this, it has been calculated that deforestation alone costs the globe $2 to $5 trillion per year.

2. Lessening of food security

Not just deforestation and poaching contribute to biodiversity losses. Another problem is the proliferation of new species. These new species exacerbate competition among locals and frequently cause native populations to become extinct. The majority of the world's farmers are experiencing this. Furthermore, where locals are being displaced in favor of imported livestock from foreign breeds. This results in a general decrease in food security as the world's cattle population gets smaller and more susceptible to infection, drought, and climatic changes.

3. Increasing exposure to disease

The spread of illness and biodiversity loss has two profound effects on human health. In the beginning, it raised the proportion of disease-carrying animals among the local population. It has been discovered via research that the species most suited to surviving in severely fragmented ecosystems also serve as the most active infection vectors. These animals proliferate and outnumber species that generally do not spread illness as habitats are fragmented and shrunk. Humans come into closer and more regular touch with these disease-carrying animals as a result of habitat fragmentation.

4. Additional uncertain weather

Asking any farmer or coastline resident how they feel about weather forecasts if it looks like it's only a matter of determining whether to carry an umbrella or not. Unseasonable weather, adverse winters, and weather that deviates significantly from historical norms are all major issues that can result in drought, devastation, and eviction. It has been demonstrated that the extinction of species-even those that are replaced by invasives-leads to more unpredictable weather.

5. Livelihood losses

Biodiversity, not to say healthy ecosystems, is crucial for sustainable livelihoods for everyone from farmers to fishers. For instance, entire societies that depend on the abundance that ocean ecosystems supply crumble along with them. Humans are responsible for the demise of the ecosystems around them, whether the reason is contamination, overpopulation, acidification of the oceans, or a mix of these and other factors.

6. Loss of natural sight

Of course, the significance of nature to humans goes beyond its practical uses. Although knowledge of the natural world's science does not lessen its magnificence, the actual deflation of it unquestionably does.

7. The majority of species' food supplies and living space are reduced or eliminated as a result of habitat loss and degradation, which is defined as any thinned-out, fragmented, or destroyed natural environment. Immobile species frequently become extinct.

8. Native species may experience population reductions as a result of invasive species outcompeting them for resources like food and habitat. Invasive species are non-native creatures that severely alter or disturb the ecosystems they invade. Invasive species may spread by human introduction or natural migration to new locations.

9. Overfishing, or the taking of game birds, fish, or other creatures over what can be replaced by surviving populations, causes certain species to have dwindled to extremely low numbers while also driving others to extinction.

10. By causing health issues in exposed creatures, pollution-defined as the addition of any chemical or any kind of energy to the ecosystem at a pace quicker than it can be reduced, digested, reused, or stored in some innocuous form-contributes to the loss of biodiversity. In rare circumstances, exposure may take place at dosages high enough to cause immediate death or reproductive issues that endanger the survival of the species.

11. Industries and other anthropogenic impacts are to blame for the climate change brought on by global warming, which is the alteration of Earth's temperature brought on by the combustion of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, which improve the atmosphere's ability to absorb infrared radiation (heat energy) and retain it. This has an impact on temperature and precipitation trends.