5 Reasons why Biodiversity is important

1. 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.

2. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are intrinsically linked: biodiversity contributes to the processes that underpin ecosystem services; biodiversity can serve as an ecosystem service in and of itself (for example, genetic resources for drug development); and biodiversity constitutes an ecosystem good that is directly valued by humans (for example, appreciation for variety in its own right).

3. All the economically important organisms should be identified and conserved. Unique ecosystems should be preserved first. The resources should be utilized efficiently. Poaching and hunting of wild animals should be prevented.

4. The Philippines is one of 18 mega-biodiverse countries of the world, containing two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity and between 70% and 80% of the world’s plant and animal species. The Philippines ranks fifth in the number of plant species and maintains 5% of the world’s flora. Species endemism is very high, covering at least 25 genera of plants and 49% of terrestrial wildlife, while the country ranks fourth in bird endemism.

5. Biodiversity is not a limited concern. This is a topic that affects all living things, whether they are plants, organisms or animals. Protecting biodiversity is all about finding real ways to coexist without harming one another. It also involves committing to practices that consider diverse ecosystems and habitats around the world. We can participate in the protection of biodiversity by becoming knowledgeable about the things we buy, consume and use. How we treat the environment is also how we treat biodiversity. Our lives are impacted regularly when it comes to water, food, oxygen and other resources we need.