Biodiversity: Definition, Types, Importance, Facts

What Is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity maps the total variety of life forms at different levels such as genetic variation in the species, variations in species and finally the variation in the ecosystems in the communities. Ecosystems contain water and serve a very important purpose in the sustenance of human lives. Hence, genetic diversity helps species to withstand ecological shocks and new conditions, while species diversity is a key factor in the stability of the ecosystem and its productivity. Those with ecosystem diversity are also involved in the control of nutrient cycling, climatic moderation, and water treatment. In this respect, awareness and conservancy of the same form the key to the provision of these services, sustenance of people’s livelihoods, and overall conservation of the planet’s ecosystem.

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This Story also Contains

1. What Is Biodiversity?
2. Genetic Diversity
3. Species Diversity
4. Ecosystem Diversity
5. Importance Of Biodiversity
6. Threats To Biodiversity
7. Recommended Video On Biodiversity

Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity is explained below-

Explanation Of Genetic Diversity

The concept of genetic Diversity is related to the variation in genetic information between individuals; this encompasses differences in sequences of DNA, genes and alleles among the species. Such diversity is created due to mutations, crossing over and selection.

Examples Of Genetic Variability Within Species

Even within species, one would observe variations in genetics including colouration, size, resistance to diseases, and ability to survive in certain climatic conditions among others. That is, while inside one species there can be high variation of responses to a particular treatment, for example, drought or pest resistance.

Importance Of Genetic Diversity

In this perspective, genetic variation is an essential component of a species’ stability and ability to respond to evolution processes including climate shifts and ailments. It provides for populations’ reproductive capability and their potential for development as a guarantor of the stability of ecosystems, and also the importance of sustainable agriculture and conservation all over the world.

Species Diversity

Species diversity is explained below-

Definition Of Species Diversity

Resources diversity is used interchangeably with the concept of species diversity, which is the count of different species residing in a given region or habitat. It speaks of the number of species per unit area (density) as well as the distribution of the individuals among the species (proportion).

Measurement Of Species Diversity

Diversity generally measures the total number of species in a given community or ecosystem equitability on the other hand measures the distribution of the organisms among the species.

Examples Of Species Diversity In Different Ecosystems

The tropical rainforests of the world have extreme species density with more than a thousand plant and animal species, and microbial spores. Fish, and other creatures, another illustration of the diverse ecosystems are coral reefs, invertebrates, and coral species. Similar to rainforests, other ecosystems, such as the grasslands, the desert, and the freshwater ecosystems, also have their own different species’ distribution acquiring their respective environments that tend to capture the characteristics of the ecosystems they are in. The conservation of species is therefore very important for shoring up ecological health and balance in the global ecosystem.

Ecosystem Diversity

Ecosystem diversity is explained below-

Definition Of Ecosystem Diversity

Ecosystem diversity is one of the categories of biodiversity that describe the distribution of the different ecosystems in a given area or on the surface of the world. It also includes elements such as the habitat, communities, and eco-processes that take place in those varying terrains.

Examples Of Different Ecosystems

1. Forests: Forest biomes are tropical rainforests, temperate forests, and boreal forests which comprise different animal and plant species that thrive in the conditions set by the climate of their geographical region.

2. Grasslands: From savannahs and prairies to steppes grasslands’ biomes host various mammalian herbivores and carnivores, adequate to the open country with variable precipitation.

3. Aquatic Ecosystems: Some common examples of aquatic biomes include; freshwater biomes which include; lakes, rivers, and wetlands, marine biomes which include coral reefs, estuaries, and deep-sea hydrothermal vents among others. Such an ecosystem sustains many types of water-dwelling organisms and is important in biogeochemical processes and climate moderation.

Importance Of Diverse Ecosystems

Different ecosystems are very vital in offering key resources including food and water, acting as climatic regulators, sources of nutrition, pollinators, and regulators of soil fertility. It contributes to the conservation of species diversity, stability to environmental perturbations, and other species’ homes. Thus, the preservation of ecosystem diversity is significant to retain the services of the ecosystem utilities, improve human quality of life, and maintain Earth’s flora and fauna for the generations to come.

India's Biodiversity

India is one of the world's most diverse countries. It is ranked ninth in terms of plant species diversity. India is home to two of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. It is the source of several important crop species, including pigeon peas, eggplant, cucumber, cotton, and sesame. India is also a breeding ground for a variety of domesticated species, including millets, cereals, legumes, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic crops, and so on.

Diagram: Different Types of Ecosystems

Importance Of Biodiversity

The importance of Biodiversity is explained below-

Ecological Importance

It is vital to protect biological diversity because it supports the ecosystem processes that are necessary for people’s quality of life. Services like pollination, nutrient cycling, and water purification are very important for such activities as farming, food production, and water treatment. Biodiversity also increases the ability of ecosystems to maintain themselves and to recover easily from challenges such as climate change, disease or pollution

Economic Importance

Bio-diversity sustains matters of food, medicine, and industrial usage. A lot of human food and drugs are obtained directly from the cross-sectional classification bolstering the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors across the world. Further, biological diversity bolsters ecotourism where people visit areas of conserved biodrural value, for both leisure and learning, which creates income for a nation and employment for its citizens.

Aesthetic And Cultural Value

Other than the utilitarian uses, people associate ecosystems with aesthetic and cultural intrinsic value. They discover how diverse ecosystems and organisms can be depicted in art and can influence peoples’ culture and existence. They give a means of recreation and spirituality to those in the communities as well as teaching spirit of conservation to-do list around the globe.

Threats To Biodiversity

The threats to Biodiversity are explained below-

Habitat Destruction

Habitat fragmentation and loss for various reasons such as urban development, agriculture, timber production, and infrastructural development continue to be the leading cause of the decline in Everett’s biodiversity. Many factors like deforestation and conversion of tracts of land from forests and wetlands to agricultural or built-up land affect ecosystems in such ways as distortion, displacement, and restrictions in the number of habitats available to species.

Climate Change

Global warming is considered an increasing threat to species and ecosystems’ distributions due to shifts in temperature and amount of precipitation. Global warming, enhanced formation of storms, heightening of sea level, and changing weather patterns interfere with the functionality of ecological systems and may affect the creation of life cycles among species besides exposing the most legal species to additional stress.

Pollution

Biodiversity is affected by pollution such as that from industries, agricultural leakages, plastics, and other toxins such as pesticides and heavy metals. Pollutants can bioaccumulate in ecosystems; they can affect the species in the ecosystem by the toxic impact and also by affecting the linkages between the species.

Invasive Species

Some of the invasive species are purposely brought in or they arrive as a consequence of other activities, and they are capable of displacing indigenous species, changing the structure of habitats, and upsetting equilibriums. They generally do not possess their natural enemies or regulators in the new locations, which causes enormous effects on the native species and the function of ecological systems.

Overexploitation

Overexploitation takes place when the rate at which species are caught and killed is beyond their recovery rates. These are through harvesting the stocks in the water bodies such as fish, trading in wildlife products, and cutting down trees in a way that is unprofitable for the species.

Recommended Video On Biodiversity