Biodiversity: Why we should be Bioconcious it’s a collective responsibility.

Biodiversity is a compound word containing “Bio” which means life and “diversity. In simple terms, biodiversity refers to the various forms of life existing on this planet (ecosystem).

It is estimated that there exist over 8.7 million species (flora and fauna) and only about 1.2 million have been accounted for. The earth is rich in living things beyond the scientific acquisition of knowledge has been able to attain. The good thing about this is that there is an interconnectedness of all of these living things. We can start with photosynthesis (the process by which green plants produce their food), green plants dependent on sunlight to survive, in turn, herbivores like goat, buffalo, zebra, grass cutters will come to graze and walk miles to drink from natural sources of water like pools, lakes, and seas. Carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, the leopard will then pounce on them and whatever remains they leave behind serves as manure that will fertilize the earth.It’s really interesting to think of it, biodiversity, the existence of different beautiful creatures of the world.

An evergreen hymnal says “all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things bright and wonderful…” One doesn’t need to ponder on biodiversity too deeply before one realizes that, every species plays a functional role in keeping a balance of the ecosystem and the world itself.

It has been scientifically calculated that in about 4 years if bees were to be extinct, the world as we know it today will cease to exist. It is spectacular, come to think of it. In addition to this, the extinction of species in the past is partly behind the degradation of the ecosystem.

Now let us take a curious look at the effect of the powerful force called evolution on the species of the world. According to National Geographic entry on the subject “Over generations, all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them distinct from other species. These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are considered different species. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species”

Given the above texts, we now understand what differentiate organisms into categories of species for example bee alone has over 20, 000 distinct species.
On an alarming note, it is pertinent to note that the greatest threat to biodiversity is humans. Certain actions that serve human greed like “excess consumption, pollution, destruction of the natural environment which inadvertently leads to the destruction of natural habitats of millions of species, all of these affect the world we live in.

For example, the Amazon rainforest has experienced and still experiencing wildfires. These reoccurring wildfires that sometimes last for days displace many species of animals not only displace them but many are killed as a result and in return, they go into extinction and the pollution caused as a result of the wildfire depletes the climate. Mainstream media, Reuters, reports that Satellites registered 28,060 fires in the Braziian Amazon in August, a decline of 4% compared to the same month in 2020 when fires likely hit the highest point in a decade, according to Brazil’s national space research agency Inpe.

The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest and is seen as a vital bulwark against climate change because of the vast amount of carbon dioxide that its plant life absorbs and stores. The world is experiencing a great change as these occurrences keep happening the climate on the other is revolting back and making the place which used to be suitable becoming highly inhabitable.

Efforts should be made to conserve and protect biodiversity, especially endangered species. Our destructive actions (deforestation) and inactions (lack of concern) threaten the ecosystem and constantly degrade the earth, both the quality and quantity of biodiversity are affected. It is our collective responsibility to come into this bioconsciousness and save our planet.

Written by: Simeon Onawale