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Biodiversity and Human Values

Biodiversity and Human Values

Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.

What is Biodiversity?

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity includes all branches of the evolutionary tree from single-celled prokaryotic organisms, bacteria, and archaea, to the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants; animals; fungi; and protists. To date, there have been about 1.75 million species identified, and new species are discovered every week.

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

What is Conservation Biology?

What is Conservation Biology?

Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.

Ecological Disturbance

Ecological Disturbance

An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.

Keystone Species

Keystone Species

Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a...

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Related Experiment Video

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Field Collection and Laboratory Maintenance of Canopy-Forming Giant Kelp to Facilitate Restoration

Field Collection and Laboratory Maintenance of Canopy-Forming Giant Kelp to Facilitate Restoration

Published on: June 7, 2024

Biodiversity is central for restoration.

David P Edwards¹, Gianluca R Cerullo²

¹Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.

Current Biology : CB

|May 7, 2024

Summary

Integrating biodiversity into ecosystem restoration is crucial for achieving climate change mitigation, land restoration, and preventing species extinction. Prioritizing biodiversity ensures broader ecological and societal benefits from restoration efforts.

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Area of Science:

Ecological restoration
Conservation biology
Environmental science

Background:

Global restoration efforts aim to address biodiversity loss and climate change.
Conservation is often not the primary goal of restoration projects, which may focus on carbon sequestration or ecosystem services.
Biodiversity is frequently overlooked in restoration initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize evidence demonstrating the integral role of biodiversity in achieving broader restoration goals.
To highlight that biodiversity must be a central objective in restoration planning and implementation.
To advocate for a synergistic approach between restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Main Methods:

Evidence synthesis
Literature review
Analysis of restoration project outcomes

Main Results:

Promoting biodiversity in restoration planning enhances carbon sequestration, timber production, and agricultural yields.
Biodiversity integration improves soil erosion control, hydrological services, and human health outcomes.
Biodiversity is essential for the long-term success of multiple restoration objectives.

Conclusions:

Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration are mutually reinforcing and critical for tackling global environmental crises.
Integrating biodiversity requires socio-ecological approaches at landscape scales, supported by policy and finance.
A paradigm shift is needed to view restoration and conservation as synergistic partners.