Biodiversity and the Healthy Society

By Emmanuel Moya

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM

 It is also known as Biological Diversity

 BIO - Life or living organisms
 DIVERSITY – Variation
 BIODIVERSITY
- means variability among living organisms from all sources including
terrestrial, marine, aerial, and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; which includes diversity within species, between species, and of
ecosystems
- is the source of the essential goods and ecological services that constitute the
source of life for all and it has direct consumptive value in food, agriculture,
medicine, and in the industry
- in simpler term, it is a variety of living organisms on Earth
 The term biodiversity was coined by Walter G. Rosen of National Research
Council in 1985.
 Understanding biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough
study on the relationship of the biotic, the living organisms and the abiotic,
nonliving organisms.
 Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better survival rate against any natural
disaster. It implies that we, as human inhabitants of the ecosystem, must
preserve and conserve the biodiversity of all creatures.

THREE TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY

 Genetic Biodiversity
- measures the amount of inherited genetic variability contained within a
population of species
- means variety in DNA or genetic material among species
 Species Biodiversity
- measures of how many different species are present in a given area
- means variety of species in a specific area
 Ecosystem Biodiversity
- measures the variety of communities or habitats that exist
- means variety of habitats, communities and ecological processes in the
ecosystem

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY TO HUMAN BEINGS

 Oxygen
- Plants give oxygen as byproduct
 Food
- Meat, Poultry, Fish, Fruits and Vegetables
 Materials (clothes, furniture, buildings)
- Silk and Cotton For Clothing
- Wood for Furniture and Buildings
  Medicinal supplies
- Penicillin came from the mold Penicillium
- Antimalarial drug came from the Cinchona Tree
 Tourism
- It attracts tourists to visit your place because of biodiversity
 Recreational Activities
- There are variety shows in which animals are the stars of that day like
dolphins and seals

5 THREATS OF BIODIVERISTY

1. Habitat Loss and Destruction

- Means the removal or destruction of habitat and it makes the habitat
unlivable. Major contributing factor is the inhabitation of human beings and
the use of land for economic gains.
- For example, cutting down of trees because Filipino investors want to build
subdivision for economic gains.
2. Alteration in Ecosystem Composition
- Alterations and sudden changes, either within species groups or within the
environment, could begin to change entire ecosystems. Alterations in
ecosystem are critical factor contributing to species and habitat loss.
- For example, elimination coyotes in the canyons of Southern California are
linked to decrease in song bird population.
3. Overexploitation
- Over-hunting, overfishing, or over-collecting of species can quickly lead to its
decline. Changing consumption patterns of humans is often cited as the key
reason for this unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.
- For example, the Amazon loggers over cut the trees in the forest in which the
resources are slowly depleting.
4. Pollution and Contamination
- Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their surrounding
environment. Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to
species and varieties.
- It could happen in land, air and water.
5. Global Climate Change
- Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss. Species
and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough
time to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
- This happens because of human activities, the way of living coupled with the
advancements of technology which results to warming of Earth due to
atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide.

CHANGES IN BIODIVERSITY

 Alterations in any system could bring varied effects. A change in biodiversity

could have erratic effects not only in wildlife or marine life but also in human
beings.
 For example, humans inhabiting the forest would disturb the natural order of life.
Trees and plants would be affected in the land-clearing operations where the
houses would be built. The animals, insects, and all types of life forms in the
 cleared area would be either been displaced or most likely been killed. The loss
of these life forms could affect the entire ecosystem governing the environment.
The food chain might be damaged.
 From these 5 major threats, we can clearly infer that when our ecosystem is not
well taken care of, biodiversity encounters changes that may impact human
health on such different levels.