What is Biological Diversity?
The term biodiversity derives from "biological diversity" and refers to the diversity of life at all its levels, from genes to the ecosystem.

Definition of Biodiversity

Biodiversity consists of levels such as genes, individual species formed by the combination of genes, communities of living beings formed later and finally entire ecosystems such as forests/coral reefs where life interacts with the physical environment. These numerous interactions have made the planet habitable for billions of years. However, the term, which is associated with recognition of a contraction of biological diversity and ultimately the extinction of species now becoming apparent, was coined only in 1985. In short, the term biodiversity today refers to the climate change and a planetary crisis.

A Brief Overview of Biodiversity

From an academic point of view, "biodiversity" represents the information acquired through the evolution of species over millions of years about how to survive through the vastly varying environmental conditions Earth has experienced. Biodiversity includes not only species that we consider rare, threatened or endangered, but also every living organism that we know little about, including microbes, fungi and invertebrates, etc.

From an aesthetic point of view, “biodiversity” refers to the uniqueness of millions of species. Biodiversity is a natural work of art that cannot be recreated once lost. Professor Edward O Wilson, often called the Father of Biodiversity, stated, "Each higher organism is richer in information than a Caravaggio painting, a Bach fugue, or any other great work.”

What Does Biocultural Mean?

We use the term “biocultural” to describe the interconnected nature of people and the planet and the notion that dynamic, constantly evolving social and biological dimensions are interrelated. This concept recognizes that human communities affect, and in return, are affected by the ecological systems of which they are a part. This relationship makes all of biodiversity and cultural links to the places where we live important, as they play a role in maintaining social cultural diversity. 

Why Is Biodiversity Significant?

Biodiversity is significant to human life. We value biodiversity for many reasons, some utilitarian, some intrinsic. Utilitarian values include many basic needs that people obtain from biodiversity, such as food, fuel, shelter and medicine. All ecosystems provide crucial services such as pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling and control of agricultural pests. Biodiversity also holds value for potential benefits not yet recognized, such as new medicines and other possible unknown services. 

Biodiversity, as an intrinsic concept, has a cultural value to people as well, for spiritual or religious reasons. The intrinsic value of biodiversity is more of a philosophical concept, which can be considered as the ‘right to exist’. 

Finally, biodiversity can also be viewed through the lens of the relationships we build and strive for each other and the rest of nature. Biodiversity encompasses who we are and how we relate to each other. These relational values are part of people's connections with the environment and nature. The different values placed on biodiversity are important because they can influence the nature conservation decisions that people make every day.

Do Animals and Bugs Really Matter to Me?

 For many people who live in towns and cities, wildlife is often just a documentary you watch on TV. But the reality is that the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat are all ultimately rely on biological diversity. Without plants, there would be no oxygen, and without bees to pollinate, there would be no fruits or nuts. Coral reefs and mangrove swamps are invaluable for coastal residents and provide protection from tsunamis. Trees, on the other hand, absorb air pollution in urban areas. Although tropical tortoises and spider monkeys seemingly have little to do with maintaining a stable climate, the seeds of hardwoods that are most effective in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are dispersed by these large fruit-eaters. The sheer richness of biodiversity has many human benefits. For example, many new medicines are harvested from nature, such as fungi that grows on the fur of sloths and can fight cancer. 

When scientists explore these ecosystems, they discover countless interactions, all honed by millions of years of evolution. An undamaged ecosystem is a delicate balance that makes a vital contribution to a sustainable planet.

How Diverse Is Biological Diversity?

Mind-bogglingly diverse. About 1.7 million species of animals, plants and fungi have been recorded, but there are likely to be 100 million species. The heartland of biodiversity is the tropics. For example, in 37 acres of Borneo Forest there are 700 species of trees - this number is as much as the whole of North America. Recent studies that have addressed diversity at a genetic level have discovered that creatures that were thought to be a single species could in some cases actually be dozens. Then, when we add in bacteria and viruses, the number of distinct organisms may well be in the billions. A single spoonful of soil, which provides 90% of all food, contains between 10,000 and 50,000 different types of bacteria. Unfortunately, the fact that many species are perishing before we are even aware of them, or the role they play in the circle of life is the biggest concern today.

Loss of Biological Diversity

In the last century, the number of ferociously hunted tigers has plunged by 97%. In many parts of the planet, bigger animals have already been wiped out by humans, for example, dodos and woolly mammoths... Prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the “red list” has assessed only 5% of known species. The data they found indicates that most of the species are threatened: 25% of mammals, 41% of amphibians and 13% of birds are facing extinction. New studies are examining the drop in the total number of the world's most common creatures. Unfortunately, the results are scary; the number of animals living on the planet has plunged by half since 1970. Academics describe this massive loss of wildlife as “biological annihilation”. 

In Germany, 75% of flying insects were lost in the last 25 years - this massacre of biodiversity leads to a decrease in plant pollination, a decrease in the wild food chain. “If we lose the insects, then everything is going to collapse,” says Professor Dave Goulson of Sussex University, UK.

What Is Destroying Biodiversity?

As the human population increases, biodiversity decreases, as wildlife habitats and agricultural land are razed to create residential and industrial sites, and forests are cut down. In 2016, 30 billion hectares were lost in the UK and Ireland. 

As humans have begun to be active on the planet, the balance of biodiversity has been increasingly disrupted through changing land use, excessive consumption of resources and our impact on the climate. We are transforming natural habitats into farmlands, factories, roads and cities. Another factor that reduces biodiversity is poaching for food. We are overfishing, drilling and mining in the ocean. Global shipping has also spread highly harmful invasive species around the planet, especially rats. Today, 300 Species of mammals from chimpanzees to hippos to bats are in danger of extinction. Human-generated pollution is a killer for orcas and dolphins. Whales are severely harmed by long-lived industrial pollutants. Global trade is causing more damage: The largest decline in all animals due to a fungal disease is thought to have spread around the world with the pet trade. The hardest hit of all habitats may be rivers and lakes, with freshwater animal populations in these collapsing by 81% since 1970, following huge water extraction for farms and people, plus pollution and dams.

Could the loss of biodiversity be a greater threat to humanity than climate change?

Yes. Even if it takes centuries or millennia, changes to the climate are reversible. However, once species become extinct, there is no going back.

What Can Be Done?

Giving nature the space and protection it needs is the only answer. Protecting wildlife reserves is the solution. However, the world currently protects 15% of the land and 7% of the oceans. Moreover, the human population is constantly rising. 

To give an extreme example, such as the poaching crisis for elephants and rhinos in Africa, making the dead animals worth more than the living ones, for example, preventing hunting tourism would be a solution. On the other hand, compensating farmers for livestock killed by wild predators could also be a solution. 

In everyday life, responsibility falls upon all of us. Most wildlife is destroyed for the production of soy, palm oil, cattle, timber and leather. Most of us unconsciously consume these products every day. Consuming less meat, especially beef/veal, which has a large environmental footprint, can help. In short, finding the tipping point that drives biodiversity loss to ecological collapse is an urgent priority.

Biodiversity and Invasive Species

Invasive species are often introduced through intentional or accidental human activities. As an example, we can cite rabbits brought to Australia by human colonists in the eighteenth century to be raised for food. Their population exploded in a short time, and they immediately caused famine due to the huge amount of plants they ate. 

Even today, rabbits in Australia plunder orchards and eat native plants, causing serious erosion problems. This is a big problem on islands, where wildlife has evolved in isolation for millions of years and the ecosystem may be more vulnerable to the introduction of new animals and plants. Invasive species can reduce biodiversity and species richness, cause extinction and significantly alter ecosystems.

Some Good News

The good news is that it is up to us to change our actions to ensure the survival of species and the health and integrity of ecological systems. By understanding the threats to biodiversity and how they come out, we can manage ways of conservation. The conservation efforts of recent decades have made a significant difference in the status of biological diversity today. National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, game reserves and marine protected areas managed by both governments and local communities, including more than 100,000 protected areas became a breathing space for wildlife and deforestation was taken under control. When the protection of the habitat was not enough, the positive effects of other conservation actions such as restoration, relocation and control of invasive species began to be considered. All these efforts have been supported by continuous efforts to improve environmental policies on a local, regional and global scale. 

Finally, the lifestyle choices of individuals and communities can have a huge impact on biological diversity and their impact on the environment. While we cannot prevent all negative human impacts on biodiversity, we can work to change the direction and shape of our impacts on the rest of life on Earth.