Question

What is biodiversity and what is its significance?

Answer 1

Biodiversity is the abbreviated word for ―biological diversity‖ (bio-life or living organisms,
diversity-variety). Thus biodiversity is the total variety of life on our planet, the total number of
races, varieties and species. The sum of total of various types of microbes, plants and animals
(producers, consumers and decomposers) in a system.
Biomes can be considered life zones, environment with similar climatic, topographic and soil
conditions and roughly comparable biological communities (Eg. Grassland, forest). The biomes
shelter an astounding variety of living organisms (from driest desert to dripping rain forest, from
highest mountain to deepest ocean trenches, life occurs in a marvelous spectrum of size, shape,
colour and inter relationship). The variety of living organisms, the biodiversity, makes the world
beautiful.
There are 1.4 million species known presently. But based on new discoveries, by research
expeditions, mainly in tropics, taxonomists estimate there are between 3-50 million different
species may be alive today. Insects make up more than one half of all known species and may
comprise more than 90% of all species on earth.
 The concept of biodiversity may be analyzed in 3 different levels. They are
1 ecosystem diversity
2 species diversity
3 genetic diversity
Ecosystem or ecological diversity means the richness and complexity of a biological community,
including tropic levels, ecological processes (which capture energy), food webs and material
recycling.
Species diversity describes the number of kinds of organisms within individual communities or
ecosystems.
Genetic diversity is a measure of the variety of versions of same gene within individual species.
Significance of Biodiversity:
Biosphere is a life supporting system to the human race. Each species in the biosphere has its own
significance.
It is the combination of different organisms that enables the biosphere to sustain human race.
Biodiversity is vital for a healthy biosphere.
Biodiversity is must for the stability and proper functioning of the biosphere.
Besides these biodiversity is so important due to having consumptive use values, productive use
values, social values, ethical values and aesthetic values.
Benefits of biodiversity:
We benefit from other organism in many ways. Even insignificant organisms can play
irreplaceable roles in ecological systems or the source of genes or drugs that someday become
indispensable.
Food: Many wild plant species could make important contributions to human food suppliers either
as they are or as a source of material to improve domestic crops. About 80,000 edible plants could
be used by human.
Drugs and medicine: Living organisms provides many useful drugs and medicines. The United
Nations Development Programme derived from developing world plants, animals and microbes to
be more than $30 billion per year.
Eg. For natural medicinal products
Penicillin – fungus is the source – Antibiotic
Quinine – chincona bark - Malaria treatment
Morphine – poppy bark – Analgesic
Twenty years before, once the drugs were not introduced, childhood leukemia was fatal. Now the
remission rate for childhood leukemia is 99%.

Answer 2

the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable is called biodiversity
its significance -----

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms.