Biodiversity

The number and variety of plants, animals, and other organisms that exist is known as biodiversity. It is an essential component of nature and it ensures the survival of human species by providing food, fuel, shelter, medicines, and other resources to mankind. The richness of biodiversity depends on the climatic conditions and area of the region. All species of plants taken together are called flora and about 70,000 species of plants are known to date. All species of animals taken together are called fauna which includes birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, insects, crustaceans, molluscs, etc. Biodiversity is important everywhere; species and habitats in your area as well as those in distant lands all play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. We need biodiversity to satisfy basic needs like food, drinking water, fuel, shelter, and medicine. Much of the worlds population still uses plants and animals as a primary source of medicine, and in the United States alone, about 57% of the 150 most prescribed drugs have their origins in biodiversity. Ecosystems provide services such as pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural pests. Many flowering plants depend on animals for pollination, and 30% of human crops depend on the free services of pollinators. Over the last century, humans have come to dominate the planet. Ecosystems are being rapidly altered, and the planet is undergoing a massive loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is unevenly distributed. It varies globally and within regions. The various factors that influence biodiversity include temperature, altitude, precipitation, soils and their relation with other species. For instance, ocean biodiversity is 25 times lesser than terrestrial diversity. Biodiversity also increases its form as it moves from the poles towards the tropics. While the Earth has always experienced changes and extinctions, the current changes are occurring at an unprecedented rate. Still more sobering, most threats to biodiversity are caused by human activity. Thus we can see that biodiversity which is crucial for the well-being of life on earth, is coming under the threat of many factors related to human activities. There is an urgent need to take action to protect the magnificent biodiversity of our planet. We must create economic policies in order to maintain the Earths biodiversity and take appropriate measures to protect habitats and species. This book delivers a global perspective on environmental issues while demonstrating the concept which encompasses the many forms of life on earth and their interdependence on one another for survival.