Why is Biodiversity important?
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.
- Plants absorb greenhouse gases and help stop global warming.
- It is easier for bio diverse ecosystems to recover from natural disasters.
- Healthy biodiversity of species can provide a variety of food.
- Many of our medicinal drugs come from plants.
- All of our wood products come from nature.
Impacts on ecosystem
- Biodiversity loss decreases the stability of ecosystem functions.
- Its impact on ecosystem is nonlinear and saturating.
- Diverse communities are more productive
Impacts on humans
- Loss of potential medicines.
- Ex: 25% of prescriptions contain active ingredients extracted from higher plants.
- Loss of medical models
- Ex: Dart-poison frogs, bears and sharks.
Impacts on economy
- EU spend 10.4 billion euros ($14 billion) to address the challenge of halting the loss of diversity.
- Nations spend money to recover damaged ecosystem.