Reasons for maintaining biodiversity

Question 1

What are the 3 main reasons for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 1

Ecological, economic, and aesthetic

Question 2

What are the aesthetic reasons for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 2

• Presence of different plants + animals in environments enriches our lives
• Natural world provides inspiration for people (e.g. musicians, writers), who provide pleasure for others through music + books
• Studies shown that patients recover quicker when in natural environment

Question 3

What are the ecological reasons for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 3

• All organisms are interdependent on each other fir survival, removal of 1 species may have effect on others
• Keystone species help determine species richness + evenness in community. When this species removed, habitat drastically changes

Question 4

What are keystone species?

Answer 4

Play a key role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community

Question 5

What are the economic reasons for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 5

• Soil erosion + desertification may occur due to deforestation. Reduces country’s sbility to grow crops, increases economic dependence on other nations
• Need to conserve all organisms we use to make things. Removal of resources may collapse an industry
• Species with potential economic importance may become extinct before discovered
• When biodiversity not maintained, change in conditions or disease can destroy entire crops