Biodiversity is very important in maintaining and protecting the Environment and Ecosystem on Earth. Many important Roles of Biodiversity are found into the Environment. These roles includes Ecosystem Services, Production of Oxygen, Pollination of Plants, Resilience of Ecosystem, Pest Control, Economic Benefit and Recreation. Without existence of Biodiversity, the Earth will not have its own Healing Power as it has now.
1. What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of Living Organisms that are found on Earth. Each specie of living variety has its own role to play in their surroundings and in their lives so as the species of Plants and animals that lives and reproduce on the planet provides some Ecosystem service or have a niche to perform on the Earth. These are very important in maintaining and protecting the Environment. The life on Earth is possible because of the presence of Biodiversity on Earth. Biodiversity is a vital component of our Environment that Regulates every process going on into the environment.
In the last blogs of this category, we studied the Introduction to Biodiversity and Biodiversity Conservation. In this blog, we will discuss the roles of Biodiversity in the Environment. We will also discuss the species that involves in certain roles.
2. What is the meaning of Niche?
The term Niche can be defined as the Ecological Role of an organism in a community especially in regard to Food Consumption. In simple words, Niche is the role that an organism play in maintaining, protecting and also living in its Environment. Basically niche is a duty that a living organism fulfil within its surroundings. Every organism and Biodiversity have their niches to be performed into the Environment. These niches are according to their strength, power and capability in Nature. These niches can be for their own protection or for Environmental Protection. This Environmental Protection is carried out by Biodiversity in the Environment.
We will discuss the Roles or Niches of Biodiversity that involves in maintaining and also for protecting the Environment in different ways. We discuss some of the Important roles of Biodiversity in the Environmental protection.
3. What are the Roles of Biodiversity in the Environment?
Biodiversity plays a very important role in maintaining and protecting the Environment. All types of Biodiversity works day and night for their Ecosystem services and Maintenance of the Environment. Following are the list of Some Roles of Biodiversity in the Environment:
- Ecosystem Services
- Production of Oxygen
- Pollination of Plants
- Resilience of Ecosystem
- Pest Control
- Economic Benefit
- Recreation
- Nutrient Recycling
These are some of the Roles of Biodiversity in the Environment. This blog contains complete details of each of these roles with explanation of their working.
4. What do you know about Ecosystem Services?
Ecosystem services are those beneficial services that are provided by Ecosystems to Humans. These services can be in the form of food, facility, help, and also other such benefits can be included. These services are very important for Humans and the Environment. Because they provide help for the execution of most important life processes that are continued on the Earth. There are three types of Ecosystem services. All these types are explained below:
i. Provisioning Services:
This type of Ecosystem service is the service which involve the production of Renewable assets. Biodiversity also play a role in the production of Renewable Resources in different ways. Sometimes they involves in their production and sometimes these resources are part of their existence and ecosystem.
Example of Provisioning Services:
The production of Wood, Food and Fresh Water, are the examples of Provisioning Services. etc.
ii. Regulating Services:
The Regulating Ecosystem services works for reduction of Environmental Change and also maintaining of the Ecosystem. These services fights naturally with the Environmental issues and work for the betterment of the Ecosystem and also for the rehabilitation of Natural Environment. Without regulating services there will be no existence of Earth’s Natural Healing process .
Example of Regulating Services:
Plants and Trees that reduce Air Pollution and the Plastic-eating fungi in the forests, are the examples of Regulating Services by Biodiversity.
iii. Cultural Services:
The Cultural Ecosystem Services means those services that provides enjoyment and Human value. These services includes aesthetics of the Plants and Animals and also the beauty of their Ecosystem. Cultural Services are used to express human value and also add recreation into a person’s life. Many Environmental components are involved in these services and have a great value.
Example of Cultural Services:
Landscape aesthetics, Cultural Heritage, and Spiritual Significance are the examples of Cultural Services etc.
5. How do Biodiversity produce Oxygen?
We are living on this planet because it has enough oxygen in which we can breathe properly. This oxygen is present on Earth because of the presence of Plants and Trees. Other planets with no life, have no trees or plants. In simple words, Plants and Trees are the reason why we are living on Earth peacefully. Plants are one of the most important component of Biodiversity of Earth. No ecosystem can be completed without plants because they play a significant role in the maintaining each of the Ecosystem. Plants Inhales Carbon Dioxide CO2 from the atmosphere and Exhales Oxygen into the Environment.
Trees are also natural Purifiers of the Environment as they remove harmful gases and pollutants from the atmosphere and cleanse the air in which Animals and Humans breathe. The places where there is high level of Deforestation, there is significant increase in air pollution. Also there is a chance of Pollution increase in the areas with less trees. Trees produce oxygen, regulates the Natural Environment, Cleanse the air and provide many Renewable resources for the Human use.
6. How do Biodiversity Participates in Pollination of the Plants?
Pollination is the process of transfer of pollen grains at random locations so that more plants may cherish into the Environment. This process is very important in maintaining and enhancing the Plant Ecosystem. It plays a great role in increasing number of plants and so is an effective natural process for the spread of Pollen Grains. The process of Pollination carry by Biodiversity. Many flying insects takes up pollen grains from the flowers and then they fly around to spread these grains.
This is the reason of spread of pollen grains with an effective as well as completely natural process. Pollination is one of the most important process in the Biodiversity increase and Environmental Protection by increasing the population of useful species of Plants into the Environment. This helps in Environmental Regulation and increase in Biodiversity in the Ecosystem.
Examples of Species involved in Pollination:
Beetles, Flies, Bumblebees, Wasps etc. are the examples of Species involves in Pollination.
7. How do Biodiversity produce Resilience of the Ecosystem?
When there are many species living within the same community at the same place, they build resilience of the Ecosystem in return. The main reason behind it is that, every specie living in a community has their own adaptations and also characteristics. These combined characteristics works for producing resilience to the living environment by providing variety of benefits to the Ecosystem.
The higher variability in the species at the same area, the higher is the chance for them to adapt into the extreme and terrestrial Environments. This will collectively protect and create resilience into the atmosphere. The resilience of the Ecosystem maintains its composition, its resistance from Environmental issues, protection from Extreme Impacts of Climate Change and many other benefits in order to make an ecosystem safe from different Hazards.
Example of Resilience of Ecosystem by Biodiversity:
The lake ecosystem maintains the Biological organization and structure despite increased nutrients (Eutrophication) from a run off of a storm. etc.
8. How do Biodiversity contributes in Pest Control?
Pests are the biggest threat to the crops and plants. It is any organism or insect that spread disease, causes destruction or otherwise is a nuisance. Some examples of Pests are Rodents, Mosquitoes, Weeds etc. These pests can destroy a crop in few days and also can damage your crop. These organisms leave the crops in such a condition that it is not able to consume or use for any purpose. Biodiversity can be proved helpful for the Pest Control into the crops.
Every crop destroys by a specific variety of Pests. So, in order to control Pests from destroying our crops, predators of the specific pests are left in the fields or near the fields. These predators kills pests and protect the crops from getting damaged or ruined. This is a very important role in the Protection of Crops and also Environmental Protection.
9. How do Biodiversity contributes in Economic Benefits?
Biodiversity provides us many economic benefits and is a big source of income for Most of the Population of the World so it has proved very useful in the welfare of Humans and Environment in many ways. Following are the some of the Economic Benefits provided by Biodiversity:
i. Food Production:
Biodiversity is responsible for all of the food production on Earth. The food that we get from biodiversity comes from Animals and Plants. Animals provides us meat (chicken, mutton and beef) while plants provide us wheat, cereals, vegetables, fruits and many other such facilities. Food is brought and sold at high prices throughout the world and its a basic need for everyone so in this way, it provide Economic Benefits containing a great ratio.
ii. Pharmaceutical Industry:
Biodiversity is widely use in Pharmaceutical Industry and medicine production. Many medicines, balms, ointments, creams and also supplements derives from plants and animals. They creates a huge market in the whole world. Most of the development of nation relies on the Pharmaceutical Industry and Food industry. They provide a huge Economic Benefit to the nations and so this economic value is to utilize to serve the Environment and Ecosystems.
iii. Industrial Use:
Biodiversity also provides many benefits in the the Industrial processes. Different types of Biodiversity are in use for the manufacturing industries for the production of Bags, Clothes, Utensils, Furniture and most of the goods and also the products that Humans use in the present era. Collectively these big and small industries makes a great Market Value and provide many Economic Benefits and services.
These are some of the Economic Benefits provided by Biodiversity.
10. How do Biodiversity provide Recreation?
Recreation is any activity that you do for your enjoyment. People do this when they are free from his work and want to make himself fresh and happy after hectic work routine. Biodiversity is the natural diversity that provide us with aesthetics and enjoyable experiences. The recreation by the Biodiversity includes your beautiful home garden, Forests, Agricultural areas, Zoo, Native animal species, Seasonal Flowers, Cherry Blossoms and so many other sceneries.
The world is filled and overloaded by the beauty of Biodiversity that human enjoys everyday in their lives. People specially visit the mountainous areas that are Heaven on Earth because of their exceptional scenery and remarkable living recreation. Most of the Population of the world spend their leisure time and vacations into the naturally beautiful locations around the world so this is the reason why Biodiversity plays a vital role for recreation for humans.
11. How Nutrient recycling is performed by Biodiversity?
Nutrient recycling is the process of converting and reusing the organic waste or any residual material this is the by-product of agriculture, industry etc. This is a natural process that utilizes different materials for making nutrients for plant growth and so many other biological processes. It is the exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of matter. This is foundation process for the production of new matter on earth. It reduce the waste material, increases resource efficiency and is also beneficial for the ecosystem health.
If this process would not be done by the nature, we would not be able to use resources again and again. It maintain soil health, help nourishing plants and also help other forms of biodiversity to get their food and nutrition. This includes in Self-healing process of the Earth. It also fights with many environmental problems such as pollution, soil erosion etc.
12. What is the list of Threats to Biodiversity?
Following are some common threats to Biodiversity:
- Deforestation
- Habitat Destruction
- Air, water and Land Pollution
- Extreme Temperatures and Heat Waves
- Over-exploitation of Natural Resources
- Invasive Species
These are some of the major threats to Biodiversity.
13. How to Conserve Biodiversity?
Following are some ways to conserve Biodiversity:
- Protected Areas and National Parks: The establishment for protected areas is beneficial for Biodiversity conservation.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Sustainable Agriculture manages to protect many living species without bulk of nutrients and irrigation.
- Combating Climate Change: By preventing the extreme impacts of Climate Change we can prevent Biodiversity loss.
- Laws and Policies: Imposing strict laws and policies on humans can reduce over-exploitation of Biodiversity.
- Community Education and Involvement: Involving and educating community about Biodiversity Conservation Strategies can help us to reduce the damage of biodiversity.
- Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting or re-planting trees can reduce the risk of loss of biodiversity at great extent.
These are some Conservation strategies to protect Biodiversity. To learn more about Biodiversity Conservation, click the mentioned link.
1. Conclusion:
Biodiversity is a vital part of our Environment in every possible way. It provide our Environment and Ecosystems great benefits that helps in maintaining and also for protecting the Natural Environment. Without existence of living species, we won’t have the Earth’s Natural Healing Mechanism. The Roles of Biodiversity in maintaining the Environment and Ecosystem includes Ecosystem Services, Pollination, Recreation, Economic Benefits etc.
We cannot ignore the Roles the Biodiversity plays in our Environment and also Ecosystem maintenance. Because it helps in some of the most Important life processes continued into the Environment. We should work for the Biodiversity Conservation in order to protect the Biodiversity so that it can play its role in the maintenance of the Environment in every possible way. We should be thankful for God’s Creation that saves us from every coming problem.
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