Why biodiversity is important for human life

3 Cell Structure and Function • Introduction • 3.1 How Cells Are Studied • 3.2 Comparing Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells • 3.3 Eukaryotic Cells • 3.4 The Cell Membrane • 3.5 Passive Transport • 3.6 Active Transport • Key Terms • Chapter Summary • Visual Connection Questions • Review Questions • Critical Thinking Questions • 4 How Cells Obtain Energy • Introduction • 4.1 Energy and Metabolism • 4.2 Glycolysis • 4.3 Citric Acid Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation • 4.4 Fermentation • 4.5 Connections to Other Metabolic Pathways • Key Terms • Chapter Summary • Visual Connection Questions • Review Questions • Critical Thinking Questions • 11 Evolution and Its Processes • Introduction • 11.1 Discovering How Populations Change • 11.2 Mechanisms of Evolution • 11.3 Evidence of Evolution • 11.4 Speciation • 11.5 Common Misconceptions about Evolution • Key Terms • Chapter Summary • Visual Connection Questions • Review Questions • Critical Thinking Questions • 15 Diversity of Animals • Introduction • 15.1 Features of the Animal Kingdom • 15.2 Sponges and Cnidarians • 15.3 Flatworms, Nematodes, and Arthropods • 15.4 Mollusks and Annelids • 15.5 Echinoderms and Chordates • 15.6 Vertebrates • Key Terms • Chapter Summary • Visual Connection Questions • Review Questions • Critical Thinking Questions • 16 The Body’s Systems • Introduction • 16.1 Homeostasis and Osmoregulation • 16.2 Digestive System • 16.3 Circulatory and Respiratory Systems • 16.4 Endocrine System • 16.5 Musculoskeletal ...

\( \newcommand\): This tropical lowland rainforest in Madagascar is an example of a high biodiversity habitat. This particular location is protected within a national forest, yet only 10 percent of the original coastal lowland forest remains, and research suggests half the original biodiversity has been lost. (credit: Frank Vassen) Biologists recognize that human populations are embedded in ecosystems and are dependent on them, just as is every other species on the planet. Agriculture began after early hunter-gatherer societies first settled in one place and heavily modified their immediate environment: the ecosystem in which they existed. This cultural transition has made it difficult for humans to recognize their dependence on living things other than crops and domesticated animals on the planet. Today our technology smoothes out the extremes of existence and allows many of us to live longer, more comfortable lives, but ultimately the human species cannot exist without its surrounding ecosystems. Our ecosystems provide our food. This includes living plants that grow in soil ecosystems and the animals that eat these plants (or other animals) as well as photosynthetic organisms in the oceans and the other organisms that eat them. Our ecosystems have provided and will provide many of the medications that maintain our health, which are commonly made from compounds found in living organisms. Ecosystems provide our clean water, which is held in lake and river ecosystems or pas...

Welcome to a world of wonder, where the web of life is intricately woven and every living organism has a vital role to play. Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is an essential and awe-inspiring aspect of our planet that shapes our world in countless ways. From the tiniest microbes to the majestic giants of the animal kingdom, each species contributes to the delicate balance of our ecosystem. In this article, we’ll explore the wonders of biodiversity, its importance, and how we can preserve it for future generations. Get ready to dive into a world of vibrant colors, mesmerizing sounds, and fascinating life forms that will leave you in awe of the incredible natural world around us. Biodiversity (from “biological diversity”) refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth, including the diversity of species, genetic variation within species, and the variety of ecosystems and ecological processes in which they occur. Biodiversity is crucial for maintaining the health and functioning of ecosystems, and provides essential ecosystem services, such as air and water purification, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. Biodiversity is threatened by human activities such as habitat destruction, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and climate change. Conservation efforts are aimed at protecting and preserving biodiversity for the benefit of current and future generations. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth, including plants, an...

Humanity impacts the planet's biodiversity in multiple ways, both deliberate and accidental. The biggest threat to biodiversity to date has been the way humans have reshaped natural habitats to make way for farmland, or to obtain natural resources, but as climate change worsens it will have a growing impact on ecosystems. The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally. Second is overexploitation (overfishing, overhunting and overharvesting) for things like food, medicines and timber which drives around 20%. Climate change is the third most significant direct driver of biodiversity loss, which together with pollution accounts for 14%. Invasive alien species account for 11%. Some models predict that climate change will become the primary cause of biodiversity decline in the coming decades. The impact of all the main drivers of biodiversity loss is accelerating and, as a consequence, so is the pace of biodiversity decline. Growing demand for natural resources due to the increasing human population, more rapidly increasing per capita consumption and changing consumption patterns has meant that ever more natural habitat is being used for agriculture, mining, industrial infrastructure and urban areas. Key areas of human activity causing biodiversity loss include: • Deforestation. Tropical rainforests are particularly rich in biodiversity and are being destroy...

Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat. And people also value nature of itself. Some aspects of biodiversity are instinctively widely valued by people but the more we study biodiversity the more we see that all of it is important – even bugs and bacteria that we can’t see or may not like the look of. There are lots of ways that humans depend upon biodiversity and it is vital for us to conserve it. Pollinators such as birds, bees and other insects are estimated to be responsible for a third of the world’s crop production. Without pollinators we would not have apples, cherries, blueberries, almonds and many other foods we eat. Agriculture is also reliant upon invertebrates – they help to maintain the health of the soil crops grow in. Soil is teeming with microbes that are vital for liberating nutrients that plants need to grow, which are then also passed to us when we eat them. Life from the oceans provides the main source of animal protein for many people. Trees, bushes and wetlands and wild grasslands naturally slow down water and help soil to absorb rainfall. When they are removed it can increase flooding. Trees and other plants clean the air we breathe and help us tackle the global challenge of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Coral reef...

Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: • Identify chemical diversity benefits to humans • Identify biodiversity components that support human agriculture • Describe ecosystem services It may not be clear why biologists are concerned about biodiversity loss. When biodiversity loss is thought of as the extinction of the passenger pigeon, the dodo bird, and even the woolly mammoth, the loss may appear to be an emotional one. But is the loss practically important for the welfare of the human species? From the perspective of evolution and ecology, the loss of a particular individual species is unimportant (however, the loss of a keystone species can lead to ecological disaster). Extinction is a normal part of macroevolution. But the accelerated extinction rate means the loss of tens of thousands of species within our lifetimes, and it is likely to have dramatic effects on human welfare through the collapse of ecosystems and in added costs to maintain food production, clean air and water, and human health. Agriculture began after early hunter-gatherer societies first settled in one place and heavily modified their immediate environment. This cultural transition has made it difficult for humans to recognize their dependence on undomesticated living things on the planet. Biologists recognize the human species is embedded in ecosystems and is dependent on them, just as every other species on the planet is dependent. Technology smoothes out the extremes...