Biodiversity: Sustainability

What is it about?

Definition/Description The scientific concept of biodiversity refers to richness in variation among all living organisms at three levels: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity (WCED 1987). According to WCED (1987), ecosystem diversity means variety of habitats, living communities, and ecological processes. Species diversity includes the number of species and number of individuals of each species in a particular location. Genetic diversity again means richness of the variety and range of genes within and between populations of organisms (WCED 1987). In addition to these three dimensions, the fourth dimension is also mentioned. It is human cultural diversity (Chivian 2002; Heywood and Watson 1995). Cultural diversity means the ethical, spiritual, and cultural values (Callicott et al. 1999), driving forces and human influences, as well as the measures for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (Heywood and Watson 1995). All four dimensions are important parameters of sustainability, when reflecting the interaction of ecological, social, and economic issues (WCED 1987; Van Weelie and Wals 1999; Kassas 2002). Conservation of biodiversity is often conceptualized through the extinction of species, threatened species, and biodiversity loss (Butchart et al. 2010). Biodiversity is fundamental for continuous life on Earth. It is also essential for human health and resilience (Sala et al. 2009), as well as for social and economic development (UNCED 1993; UNESCO 2014).

Featured Image

Photo by Cédric VT on Unsplash

Photo by Cédric VT on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Summary Biodiversity refers to four dimensions: ecosystem, species, genetic, and cultural dimensions. The core idea of biodiversity concerns the interrelated nature of the living world changing constantly through evolution. Biodiversity is threatened by various human activities or their effects. However, the interdependence between biodiversity and humanity is critical for all peoples. Biodiversity is the basis of numerous ecosystem services that keep the natural environment alive, ranging from maintaining watersheds that provide fresh water to pollination and nutrient cycles, and the maintenance of clean air and atmospheric gases. Thus all communities ultimately depend on biodiversity services and resources. The preservation of biodiversity forms the core of sustainability and the protection of biodiversity is a prerequisite for sustainable development. A prerequisite for sustainable development and sustainability is the ability of a person to understand biodiversity and its holistic character, and willingness to act together for beneficial preservation outcomes.