(1) What are the values of Biodiversity? Describe each value.
Answers
Answer:
Some of the major values of biodiversity are as follows: 1. Environmental Value 2. Social Value 3. Ecosystem Services 4. Economic Value 5. Consumptive use value 6. Productive Use Value 7. Ethical and Moral Value 8. Aesthetic Value.
Biodiversity is the most precious gift of nature mankind is blessed with. As all the organisms in an ecosystem are interlinked and interdependent, the value of biodiversity in the life of all the organisms including humans is enormous.
Explanation:
The role of biodiversity in providing ecosystem services is twofold.
Firstly, biodiversity is directly used as a source for food, fibre, fuel and other extractable resources. Secondly, biodiversity plays an important role in ecosystem processes providing the regulating, cultural and supporting services.
For example, vegetation cover protects the soil from erosion by binding soil particles and minimizing the effects of water runoff. Likewise, cultivation of crops is to a large extent dependent on the availability of pollinating insects
These include potential sources of new foods, medicines, and energy which can further fuel economic activity, as well as a healthier population. Biodiversity has proven to hold enormous value when adapted for use in health, agricultural, or industrial applications.
In the field of medicine alone, approximately 50% of current prescription medicines are derived from or modelled on natural substances. The health and diversity of ecosystems can have a significant effect on the overall stability of nearby communities.
Values of Biodiversity
1. Environmental Value:
The environmental value of biodiversity can be found by examining each ecosystem process and identifying the ecosystem services that result. For instance, in wetlands the vegetation captures water- carried sediment and the soil organisms break down a range of nutrients and pollutants washed into the area.
For instance, dry-land salinity has emerged as a problem following sustained clearance of deep rooted perennial plants over wide areas. Water tables have raised carrying dissolved salts which then concentrate in the soil. Forests regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in the air by releasing oxygen as a by-product during photosynthesis, and control rainfall and soil erosion.
2. Social Value:
The social value of biodiversity includes aesthetic, recreational, cultural and spiritual values. To this can be added health benefits resulting from recreational and other activities. While traditional societies which had a small population and required less resources had preserved their biodiversity as a life supporting resource, modern man has rapidly depleted it even to the extent of leading to the irrecoverable loss due to extinction of several species.
3. Ecosystem Services:
These services also support human needs and activities such as intensely managed production ecosystems.
4. Economic Value:
The economic potential of biodiversity is immense in terms of food, fodder, medicinal, ethical and social values. Biodiversity forms the major resource for different industries, which govern the world economy.
The salient features regarding the economical potential of biodiversity are given below:
1. The major fuel sources of the world including wood and fossil fuels have their origin due to biodiversity.
2. It is the source of food for all animals and humans.
3. Many important chemicals have their origin from the diverse flora and fauna, used in various industries.
4. Diverse group of animals are used for medical research during the testing of new drugs.
5. Consumptive use value:
This is related to natural products that are used directly for food, fodder, timber, fuel wood etc. Humans use at least 40,000 species of plants and animals on a daily basis. Many people around the world still depend on wild species for most of their needs like food, shelter and clothing. The tribal people are completely dependent on the forests for their daily needs.
6. Productive Use Value:
This is assigned to products that are commercially harvested and marketed. Almost all the present date agricultural crops have originated from wild varieties. The biotechnologists continuously use the wild species of plants for developing new, better yielding and disease resistant varieties. Biodiversity represents the original stock from which new varieties are being developed.
7. Ethical and Moral Value:
It is based on the principle of ‘live and let others live’. Ethical values related to biodiversity conservation are based on the importance of protecting all forms of life. All forms of life have the right to exist on earth. Man is only a small part of the Earth’s great family of species.
8. Aesthetic Value:
The beauty of our planet is because of biodiversity, which otherwise would have resembled other barren planets dotted around the universe. Biological diversity adds to the quality of life and provides some of the most beautiful aspects of our existence. Biodiversity is responsible for the beauty of a landscape.
Answer:
Explanation:
The major value of Biodiversity are-
° Direct Economical Value
° Indirect Economical Value
° Amenity value
° Optional Value
° Existance value
Direct Economical Value:- This is also known as direct value. It is defined as actual uses especially in consumption. It represents the economic values derived from direct use or interaction with a biological resource or resource system, DUV is relatively easily measured by assigning market prices.
Indirect Economical Value :- Indirect values are assigned to benefits provided by biodiversity that do not involve harvesting or destroying the natural resource. Such benefits include ecological benefits such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, waste disposal, air and water purification, education, recreation, future options for human beings, etc.
Optionbal Value:- Thus option value is the value of knowing that there are biological resources existing on this biosphere that may one day prove to be an effective option for something important in the future. Thus, the option value of biodiversity suggests that any species may prove to be a miracle species some day.
THANKS.
#SPJ3