What is Biodiversity ?

What is Biodiversity ?
What does “biodiversity” mean for people and for human development? The health of an ecosystem is closely related to the quality of life of its inhabitants. Biodiversity, as described in previous chapters, is a key component of the “environmental health” pillar of sustainable development. Biodiversity provides people with basic ecosystem goods and services. It provides goods such as food, fibre and medicine, and services such as air and water purification, climate regulation, erosion control and nutrient cycling.

Conservation mechanisms :  There is more than one way to conserve biodiversity. As biodiversity and its use to communities vary, so too should conservation mechanisms. Biodiversity conservation plans for a rain forest will be different from plans for a grassland or a swamp. There are different approaches involving different groups of people. There are different types of landscapes, each being used or protected for different purposes. There are different strategies and time frames for achieving similar goals.

Monitoring  :  Close monitoring of biodiversity is another important conservation practice; it involves regular checking of the overall health of ecosystems and the species living within it. The data collected from ongoing monitoring programmes can help inform management plans and improve the sustainability of activities in productive landscapes. Monitoring is especially important when the activities are carried out on an industrial scale because their impact is greater than the impact of similar activities carried out on a smaller subsistence scale by local communities.

Law and community enforcement :  Conservation mechanisms may include law or community enforcement. Biodiversity conservation officers make sure the communities relying on the site’s natural resources are totally involved in conservation initiatives. Officers enforce the laws and record the details of community participation. When the laws are not respected, illegal logging, mining and bushmeat hunting erode the benefits of conservation efforts.

Role of research & technology for biodiversity conservation :  Biodiversity conservation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. As we’ve seen, it requires the participation of many different groups of people, working with various conservation mechanisms both in situ and ex situ. Biodiversity policy and conservation activities are informed, enhanced and driven by research and technology

Technological and management considerations for conservation in developing countries  : 
Biodiversity conservation in developing countries has its own set of challenges. Not only are there natural issues, such as climate change and climate variability effects, but many local communities rely on the natural resources they harvest and hunt in protected areas. In these situations, it is especially important to ensure the management plans and technologies are considerate of community needs and capacities, and are endorsed by the affected communities

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