Q. Value of biodiversity?

Today, there is widespread concern for conservation of wild animals and plants. One might wonder why there is so much concern about protecting other species when our own species is facing poverty and starvation? The truth is, poverty and starvation, and several other ills facing humans are often the result of the destruction of biodiversity. Though we seldom realise it, biological diversity and its components are the very basis of human survival providing food, energy, medicine, ecosystem sources, scientific insights and cultural sustenance to over six billion people.

Understanding the value of biological diversity is vital to maintain the enormous range of genes, species and ecosystems that the earth supports. This can be looked at in many ways. One way would be to understand the "resource" or "use" value of various components of biodiversity which are used by humans. Biodiversity has also, however, great "non-resource" or "non -use" value such as maintaining ecosystem functions. Biodiversity can also be viewed in terms of economic and non-economic values. The economic value of a biological resource may be broken down into a range of use and non-use values that are of direct or indirect benefit of humans.