Services
Provided by Biodiversity
Services provided by biodiversity can be broadly categorised into
three areas:
• Nutrient cycling: The movement of elements
such as nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorous between different forms
as they pass through the food chain. The elements cycle between
gas forms and compounds which are found in the soil and living organisms.
For example the nitrogen cycle; this is heavily reliant on bacteria
and involves the formation of nitrates (needed for making proteins
which are the functional molecules in all organisms) from atmospheric
nitrogen and then the break down of nitrogen compounds to nitrogen
gas. The nitrogen cycle is an important part of soil formation and
soil fertility.
• Primary production: The capturing of energy
from the sun by plants and using this to convert carbon dioxide
into organic compounds. This provides food for all other species
on the planet. This is part of the carbon cycle which is being unbalanced
by the release of carbon dioxide by the burning of fossil fuels.
• Maintaining the dynamic balance of nature’s
complex systems: Habitats and all their constituent parts
play an important role in regulating local and global climate patterns,
soil formation, water purification and nutrient cycling and many
other regulatory functions which help maintain the planet in a state
which is self sustaining. Removing forests can have a dramatic effect
on rain fall patterns and temperatures over large areas. Plants
also play a key role in the water cycle which helps filter water
and remove impurities.
These overarching services provide us with a wide range
of Products including:
• Provision of all food
• Pharmaceutical goods
• Building materials
• Fuel: wood, fuel crops, fossil fuels (created from breakdown
biologically diverse matter over millions of years)
• Genetic resources for medicines, foods and other products
Some more specific services which we all rely on include:
• Purification of air and water
• Detoxification and decomposition of wastes
• Stabilisation and moderation of the Earth’s climate
• Moderation of floods, droughts and temperature extremes
and creation of drainage systems
• Generation and renewal of soil fertility, prevention of
soil erosion, nutrient cycling
• Pollination of plants that provide products and services
• Control of pests and diseases
• Capacity to regenerate and recover after damage (both from
human and natural causes)
Cultural and Social Services provided by biodiversity include:
• A healthy living environment
• Resources for recreation
• Educational resources
• Aesthetical value
• Spiritual meaning
• Artistic inspiration
Much of the usage of the term ‘biodiversity’ is value
laden. Consequently, it is important to recognise that there is
rather more to the term than a formal definition in the Convention
of Biological Diversity. This should always be borne in mind when
interpreting what is being said about biodiversity, particularly
now that the term has become a familiar feature of news programmes
and papers, and importance is attached to it by environmental groups,
political decision-makers, economists and ordinary citizens alike.
Many users assume everyone shares the same intuitive definition,
but this is not necessarily the case.
To view a presentation on How Biodiversity Benefits People visit
the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre web site.
Photo credit: J Castner, Spiny Catepillar |