explain the importance of bio-diversity
Answers
Answer:
Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Biodiversity is also considered by many to have intrinsic value—that is, each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known to have value to humans. The biodiversity book by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO; Morton & Hill 2014) describes 5 core (and interacting) values that humans place on biodiversity:
Economic—biodiversity provides humans with raw materials for consumption and production. Many livelihoods, such as those of farmers, fishers and timber workers, are dependent on biodiversity.
Ecological life support—biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services.
Recreation—many recreational pursuits rely on our unique biodiversity, such as birdwatching, hiking, camping and fishing. Our tourism industry also depends on biodiversity.
Cultural—the Australian culture is closely connected to biodiversity through the expression of identity, through spirituality and through aesthetic appreciation. Indigenous Australians have strong connections and obligations to biodiversity arising from spiritual beliefs about animals and plants.
Scientific—biodiversity represents a wealth of systematic ecological data that help us to understand the natural world and its origins.
Any loss or deterioration in the condition of biodiversity can compromise all the values outlined above and affect human wellbeing. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 was the first global effort to examine links between human wellbeing and biodiversity. The assessment found benefits to societies from biodiversity in material welfare, security of communities, resilience of local economies, relations among groups in communities, and human health. It also emphasised the term ‘ecosystem services’ under 4 broad categories (Morton & Hill 2014):
provisioning services—the production of food, fibre and water
regulating services—the control of climate and diseases
supporting services—nutrient cycling and crop pollination
cultural services—such as spiritual and recreational benefits.
Global importance
Australia is renowned for its globally distinct ecosystems, made up of diverse flora and fauna. Around 150,000 species have been formally described in Australia, but this is only about 25 per cent of the total number present. Many species, such as insects, remain largely undiscovered. Australia is considered one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, which together account for 70 per cent of the world’s biological diversity across less than 10 per cent of the world’s surface. Scientifically, our biodiversity is highly regarded for its diversity, endemism and evolutionary adaptations, but it is also an inseparable part of our Indigenous culture and how we identify as Australians.
Australia has an evolutionarily distinct flora and fauna, including many palaeoendemics, which have ancient lineages associated with the Australian continent. Some of these are the few remaining species surviving from ancient times (e.g. gymnosperms such as the pencil pine—Athrotaxis cupressoides and the Wollemi pine—Wollemia nobilis).
When compared with other countries, Australia has very high levels of endemism (i.e. species found only in Australia): 46 per cent of our birds, 69 per cent of mammals (including marine mammals), 94 per cent of amphibians, 93 per cent of flowering plants and 93 per cent of reptiles. Other groups, such as the eucalypts, are mostly found in Australia or nearby.
In 2015, Australia had 19 sites on the World Heritage List (Figure BIO1). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization considers World Heritage sites to have ‘outstanding universal value’, and to meet at least 1 of 10 cultural or natural criteria. Of the 19 Australian sites, 12 are listed for natural values, 3 for cultural values, and 4 for both natural and cultural values. The Great Barrier Reef, the Tasmanian Wilderness, the Wet Tropics of Queensland and Shark Bay meet all 4 World Heritage criteria for natural heritage; Kakadu National Park, Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, Willandra Lakes Region and the Tasmanian Wilderness are listed for both natural and cultural criteria. The Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia was inscribed on the World Heritage List for its natural beauty and biological diversity in 2011. The Ningaloo–Shark Bay National Landscape now boasts 2 World Heritage Areas at its northern and southern ends. The 1.3 million hectare Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was inscribed in 1982, and extended in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It meets 7 of the 10 criteria—more than anywhere else on Earth.
Explanation:
Bio-diversity of India. Explain.
1. India has a diversified relief and climate.
2. Similar diversity is seen in the wildlife in India.
3. In the entire world about 15 lakh species of wildlife is recorded of which 81,251 species are found in India.
4. These include reptiles, mammals, fish and other insects.
5. India has less forest cover compared to that its wildlife diversity is noticeable.
6. Asian elephant in peninsular rain forests, onehomed rhino in Swamp Brahmaputra river, Snowleopards in higher Himalayas. Wild goats and musk deer and found in Jammu and Kashmir.
7. Wild buffaloes are seen in forests of Southern India.
8. Tiger is found in Central India and West Bengal, Ghudkhar in Little Desertof Kutch and Flamingo in water logged Great Desert.
9. Great Indian Bustard is found in the grassland area. In the water lodges area, migratory birds from cold regions come down in great number. These include Siberian crane, Pelican, Tibetian duck, Junk, Karkara etc.
10. Flyingsquirrels are seen in the dense forests of western ghats, Nicobar dove in Nicobar islands, Rare species of corals are seen in the Gulf of Kutch and Lakshadweep island.
11. Various types of reptiles include King cobra, snakes, python, iguana.
12. Along sea coasts and other water bodies variousfishes, sea snakes, dolphin, shark, dugong, octopus, whale etc. are seen.
13. Explorations continue to identify other animals found in different forests. India is at sixth position among the countries rich in bio-diversity