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Notes On Biodiversity Conservation

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Published in: EVS
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Biodiversity refers to the comprehensive umbrella term for the degree of natures variety or variation within the natural system; both in number and frequency. In general, it refers to the variety of all forms of life on earth. The different plants, animals, micro-organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they form.

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  1. BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION Definition Biodiversity refers to the comprehensive umbrella term for the degree of natures variety or variation within the natural system; both in number and frequency. In general, it refers to the variety of all forms of life on earth. The different plants, animals, micro-organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they form. The manifestation of biodiversity is the biological resources (genes, species, organisms, ecosystems) and ecological processes of which they are part. Biodiversity is therefore considered at 3 major levels: • Genetic diversity. • Species diversity. • Ecosystem diversity. 1.1.1 Genetic diversity This is the variety of genetic information contained in all of the individual plants, animals and microorganisms occurring within populations of species. Simply it is the variation of genes within species and populations. 1.1.2 Species diversity This is the variety of species or the living organisms. Species Richness - This refers to the total count/number of species in a defined area. Various indices are used including the Mangalet index and Menhink index. Species Abundance - This refers to the relative numbers among species. If all the species have the same equal abundance, this means that the variation is high hence high diversity, however if the one species is represented by 96 individuals, whilst the rest are represented by 1 species each, this is low diversity. Taxonomic or phylogenetic diversity - This considers the genetic relationships between the different groups of species. The measures are based on analysis, resulting into a hierarchical classification representing the phylogenetic evolution of the taxa concerned. 1.1.3 Ecosystem diversity This relates to the variety of habitats, biotic communities and ecological processes in the biosphere. 2. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY 2.1 Ethical and moral values Every form of life on earth is unique and warrants respect regardless of its worth to human beings; this is the ecosystems right of an organism. Note that every organism has an inherent right to exist regardless of whether it's valuable to human beings or not. Humankind is part of nature and the natural world has a value for human heritage. The well being of all future generations is a social responsibility of the present generations, hence the existence of an organism warrants conservation of the organism. 2.2 Aesthetic value Human beings derive great enjoyment from natural environment. The shapes, structure and colour stimulate our senses and enrich our culture. This is illustrated majorly in the popularity of biodiversity conservation measures and the myriad of the many organizations which fight for the protection of different organisms. A lot of money is paid to conserve wildlife for their value in
  2. nature through so many organizations. Wild species enhance our appreciation and enjoyment of the environment through: • Leisure activities e.g. bird watching and nature trailing; • Spotting activities e.g. spot hunting, spot fishing, diving and mushroom picking; • Hearing, touching or just seeing wildlife; • Enjoyment as seen in art and culture e.g. dolls and teddy bears. 2.3 Utilitarian values These contribute to our material well-being, besides our feelings and emotions, they are things that will give us satisfaction and include conservative and productive materials from biodiversity e.g. agricultural materials or food sources, medicine, industrial raw materials, educational values and scientific research. 2.4 Ecological values Biodiversity maintains the integrity of the environment through: • Maintaining C02/02 balance. It is through biodiversity that sequential balance of C02 and 02 is maintained. The greenhouse effect is as a result of C02 accumulation in the atmosphere, ozone layer depletion also occurs overtime making the earth warmer and more prone to natural calamities. • Regulation of biochemical cycles e.g. 02, hydrological cycles etc. Biological resources are important media in biochemical cycles, without which the cycles are not complete. • Absorption and breakdown of pollutants and waste materials through decomposition, e.g. in food webs and food chains where the flow of energy goes through production consumption decomposition without which breakdown and absorption of materials will not be complete. In an ecosystem there is no waste as decomposition will take place to purify our environment by transforming the waste to other forms of biodiversity. • Determination and regulation of the natural world climate whether local, regional or micro through influencing temperature, precipitation and air turbulence. • Acting as indicators of environmental changes e.g. the green house effect as a result of global warming causes changes in weather seasonality and also affects crops among others. • Protective services, e.g. protection of human beings from harmful weather conditions by acting as wind breaks, flood barriers among others. 3. LOSSES IN BIODIVERSITY Today's threats to species and ecosystems are the greatest recorded in recent history and virtually all of them are caused by human mismanagement of biological resources often stimulated by misguided economic policies and faulty institutions. 3.1 Principal threats to biodiversity A threat by definition refers to any process or event whether natural or human induced that is likely to cause adverse effects upon the status or sustainable use of any component of biological diversity. 3.1.1 Habitat alteration / destruction Increased insatiable demand for resources results to land use changes hence loss to genetic diversity, species reduction and increased ecosystem changes such as random population changes, disease outcrops, habitat fragmentation among others resulting in biodiversity losses. 3.1.2 Overharvesting / over-exploitation of biological resources This results when individuals of a particular species are taken at a higher rate than can be sustained by the natural reproductive capacity of the population being harvested. This can be through hunting, fishing, trade, food gathering etc. Overharvesting will lead to extinction of
  3. resources or the biological resources, eventually leading to loss of species. For species that are protected by the law and overharvesting occurs, this is known as poaching, if the law allows for harvesting of a resource, this is known as cropping. 3.1.3 Pollution Chemical or thermal pollution is a threat to biodiversity. Species in habitats are increasingly being harmed by industrial activities and pollution from excessive use of agro-chemicals such as DDT, oil spills, acid precipitation etc. 3.1.4 Introduced species / biological invasions This can be intentional or accidental. Species introduced in an ecosystem will cause changes in the ecosystem. Introduced species are organisms arising in areas/ habitats in which they were previously not native. Such introduced species are usually referred to as biological pollutants. Some of the ecological impacts of the invasion include hybridization, out competition, disruption of original ecosystem, plant pathogenic influences, disease transmission, disruption of foodwebs and to some situations extinction. Species may be introduced intentionally for: • Ornamental concerns; • Agriculture; • Hunting and spotting activities; • Biotechnology for scientific research; . Trade. 3.1.5 Climatic changes This is of great concern especially when global C02 increases in the atmosphere resulting to global warming. Most species originate within a very narrow physiological limit; hence nature has a range of tolerance maintained for ecosystem stability. Changes may be gradual or abrupt such that if the limit is exceeded the upper or lower species suffers extinction. 3.1.6 Population As the human population is increasing, there exists insatiable demand for raw materials which is bound to cause changes in biodiversity. It is therefore vital to control human population which will result in biodiversity conservation. 3.1.7 Institutional / policy failure Some institutions are created to manage biological resources. However, the institutions/policy fail to internalize the values of biodiversity within the decision making process of their Nations and individuals. Such institutions/policies in place should have a holistic approach towards biodiversity conservation rather than part conservation. 4. BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION This incorporates the preservation, maintenance, sustainable use (conservation), recovery and enhancement of the components of biological diversity, where: • Conservation - is the sustainable use of resources and encompasses protection as well as exploitation and; • Preservation - is an aspect of conservation meaning to keep something without altering or changing it. 4.1 Sustainable development This refers to development that meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs; it simply refers to intra and intergenerational equity. A balance between the environment, development and society results to sustainable development which ensures biodiversity conservation.
  4. This is only possible in the presence of good enforced and implemented policies/ conventions, environmental institutions (e.g. NEMA for Kenya) and political stability among others. 4.2 Conservation measures of biodiversity Ex-situ conservation: • Refers to conservation of components of biodiversity outside their natural habitats, e.g. zoos, museums, gene banks, botanic gardens/arboretums; • Used for threatened and endangered species to avoid their extinction; also known as captive conservation. In-situ conservation: • Refers to conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats including maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural habitats. 4.3 Convention on biological diversity (CBD) Conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of its components came into the limelight in 1972 (United Nations Conference on Human Environment; Stockholm). In 1973, UNEP identified conservation of biodiversity as a priority area, hence there was need to get the legal mandate for conservation of world resources. There were negotiations for a legally binding instrument to address biological diversity and its loss to enhance fairness and equity in sharing of the benefits of biodiversity; this led to the opening of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992; Rio de Janeiro under the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)/ Earth Summit. The convention was inspired by the growing concern all over the world for sustainable development. The convention objectives were: • Conservation of the biological diversity; • Sustainable use of its components; • A fair and equitable sharing of its benefits. This was the first global comprehensive agreement that addressed all the aspects of biological diversity; genetic resources, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.

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