Mathieu GT

Hi guys, welcome to the second lecture of the course Biological Diversity Theories Measure and Data Sampling Techniques. Today I will explain you why biodiversity is important for us.

According to United Nations Environmental Program definition, ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contribution of ecosystems to human well being. The concept ecosystem goods and services is synonymous with ecosystem services.

Provisioning services are ecosystem services that describe the material or energy output from ecosystems. They include food, water, and other resources. Ecosystems provide the conditions for growing food. Food comes principally from managing our ecosystem, but marine and fresh water systems, or forests also provide food for human consumption. Wild food from forests are often underestimated. Ecosystems provide a great diversity materials for construction and fuel, including food, biofuels and plant oils that are directly derived provide and cultivated plants species.

Ecosystem also play a vital role in the global hydrological cycle as they regulate the flow and the purification of water. Vegetation in forest influence the quality of water available locally. Ecosystems and biodiversity provide many plants we use it as a traditional medicine. As well as providing the raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. All ecosystems are potential source of medicine and resources. Regulating services are the services that ecosystem provide by acting as regulators. For instance, they regulatethe quality of air or soil or providing fluid and disaster control. Local climate and air quality is another regulating services. For instance, trees provide shadewith forests, influence rainfall and water availability, both locally and regionally. Trees and other plants also play an important role in regulating air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere.

Another regulating service is carbon sequestration storage. Ecosystems regulate the global climate by storing a sequestering green house gases. As recent plants grow they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and effectively locked it away in their tissues. In this way, forest ecosystems are carbon stocks. Biodiversity also plays an important role by improving the capacity of the ecosystem to adapt the effects of the climate change.

Another regulating service is the moderation of extreme events. Extreme weather events or natural disasters include floods, storms, tsunamis, avalanches, and landslides. Ecosystems and living organisms create buffers against natural disasters, thereby preventing possible damages. For example, wetlands can soak up floodwaters, whilst trees can stabilize slopes. Coral reef, instead, and mangroves,help protect coastlines from storm damage.

There is another regulation service that is water waste treatment. Ecosystems such as wetlands filter both human and animals waste and act as a natural buffer to the surrounding environment. Through the biological activityof microorganism in the soil, most waste is broken down. Thereby pathogens, disease causing microbes, are eliminated, and the level of nutrients and pollution is reduced.

Another regulating service is erosion prevention and maintenance of soil fertility. Soil erosion is a key factor in the process of land degradation and desertification. Vegetation cover provides a regularservice by preventing soil erosion. Soil fertility is essential for plant grow and agriculture. A well functioning ecosystem supply the soil with nutrient required to support plant grow.

Another regulating serviceis the biological control. Ecosystem are important in regulating pest and vector-borne disease that attack plants, animals and people. Ecosystems regulate also pests and disease through the activities of predators and parasites. Birds, bats, flies, wasps, frogs, andfungi all act as natural control.

Apart from the regulating services,we have habitat and supporting services. Habitats provide everything that an individual plant and animal needs to survive, food, water, and shelter. Each ecosystem provide different habitats that can essential for a species’s life cycle. Migratory species including birds, fish, mammals, and insects all depends upon different ecosystems during their movements.

The maintenance of genetic diversity is important services that ecosystem provide from biodiversity. Genetic diversity is the variety of genes between and within species populations. Genetic diversity distinguishes different breeds or races from each other, thus providing the basis for locally well adapted cultivars. Or genus pool for further developing commercial crops and live stocks.

Some habitats have an exceptional high number of species which makes them more genetically diverse than others, and are known as biodiversity hot spots. I will tell you about biodiversity hot spots during the next lecture.

Today we need to complete the discussion about ecosystem services. There are other remaining services, but very important. For instance, recreational and mental, physical health. Working and playing sports in green space is not only a good form of physical exercise,but also lets people relax. The role that green spaces play in maintaining mental and physical health is increasing in being recognized, despite difficulties of measurements. Tourism is another important ecosystem service. Ecosystems andbiodiversity play an important role for many kinds of tourism which in turn provides considerable economic benefits and a little source of income for many countries. In 2008, global earnings from tourism, some of that up to $944 US billion. Cultural and ecotourism can also educate people about the importance of biological diversity. Aesthetic appreciation and inspiration for culture, art, and design is another important ecosystem service. Language, knowledge, andthe natural environment have been intimately related throughout human history. Biodiversity, ecosystems andnatural landscapes have been the source of inspiration for much of our art, culture, and increasingly for science.

 For example, just have a look at Maurice drawings. Another not very much appreciated ecosystem service is the spiritual experience and the sense of the place. In many parts of the world, natural features such as Pacific forest, caves, or mountains are considered sacred or have a religious meaning. Nature is common element of all major religions and traditional knowledge.

And associated customs are important for creating a sense of belonging. This long list is just a summary of the ecosystem services that biodiversity produce for human beings. Overall if you remember what I told you during the first lecture, biodiversity is what makes us alive. See you next lecture.