Scope and Importance of Biodiversity

1. The value of biodiversity:

• Can be categorized into three broad categories:

a) Utility:

• As food, medicine, fiber, etc.
• As building material.
• Microorganism in bread making, brewing and dairy products.
• Genes for breeding program and storage in gene bank.

b) Function:

• Regulate and stabilize water runoff.
• Recycling important elements such as carbon, oxygen and Nitrogen
• Maintenance of gaseous composition of atmosphere and global climate.
• Soil fertility maintenance by retaining water and maintaining soil texture.

c) Beauty:

• Beauty of habitat may be found in its appearance, sounds, smells and colors or innate ability to make us relax.
• Beauty of species may be found in its sound, color, form, smell, behavior, adaptations, ability to survive and its interactions.