Why Is Biodiversity So Important?
B
iodiversity is the shortened form of ‘biological’ and ‘diversity.’ It refers to all the variety of life found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi, and micro-organisms), the communities they form, and the habitats in which they live. There are three types of biodiversity – genetic diversity, species or taxonomic diversity, and ecological diversity. The genetic variations found in different species are known as genetic diversity, and it is primarily a result of adapting to changing environments.
(chana dal), red lentils (masoor dal), etc. fulfill our dietary requirements, while crops like cotton and jute provide us with clothing.
Species diversity is the number of different species that are represented in a given community. It is essential to have species diversity for an ecosystem to function properly. Ecosystem diversity deals with the variations in ecosystems within a geographical location and their overall impact on human existence and the environment. An example of ecological diversity on a global scale would be variations in ecosystems, such as deserts, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and oceans. Ecological diversity is the most significant scale of biodiversity, and within each ecosystem, there is a great deal of both species and genetic diversity. Biodiversity plays a vital role in human life, and its existence is not possible without it.
Trees like Teak, Sal (Shorea robusta), Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo), etc., and other variants fulfill our wood requirements for construction purposes. In addition, trees like Babul (Acacia nilotika), White Shirish (Albizia procera), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Khejari (Prosopis cineraria), Haldu (Haldina cordifolia), and other species provide us with fuel. In contrast, trees like Shirish (Albizia Lebbeck), Drumstick (Moringa Oleifera), Shahtoot (Mulberry/Morus Alba), Babul (Acacia Nilotika), Karanj (Millettia pinnata), Neem (Azadirachta indica) are useful in preparing Ayurvedic medicines.
Depletion of ecosystems is making 27000 species extinct every year. The majority of them are tiny tropical organisms. If the decline of biodiversity continues at this rate, by 2050, one-fourth of the total number of species will become extinct. There are several advantages of biodiversity, namely – it fulfills the requirements of varied food production, fiber, timber, firewood, fuel, etc. Different crops like wheat, paddy, white millet (jowar), maize, sorghum, black millet or pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), pigeon peas (arahar dal), chickpeas
The use of biodiversity in agriculture can help make farm systems more resilient and productive by helping crop diversification strategies that develop crops resilient to pests and diseases. For example, the green revolution was brought about by a semi-dwarf variety of wheat known as Norin-10, initially grown in Japan. Similarly, a dwarf variety of
Your success and happiness lie in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. - Helen Keller AKHAND JYOTI
20
JAN.-FEB. 2022
