Bio-diversity : The diversity of life forms
Bio-diversity is a word that is commonly heard when the issue of conservation is brought in to discussion. Bio-diversity essentially refers to the diversity of life forms in a defined area. Bio-diversity is of three types – species diversity, genetic diversity and ecological diversity. Species diversity refers to the variety of species present in the area – for example the number of species of birds etc.Ecological diversity refers to the richness of the ecosystem. Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes in a species, if certain genes are lacking in a population it could cause the species to die out.
But the real question remains – why is bio-diversity so important? If bio-diversity of a ecosystem is preserved, the populations within have a greater ability to adapt to the environmental changes around them. Genetic diversity plays a vital role in ensuring that a species adapts to environmental changes. A higher genetic diversity means that there is a higher chance of there being a group of individuals, whose genetic constituency would enable them to adapt to the environmental changes.
The environmental changes could be diseases, changes in temperature, changes in the availability of food etc. Bio-diversity also ensures that an ecosystem rapidly recovers from natural disasters and also provides an aesthetic value – the variety of plants and animals we are able to enjoy and facilitates us to learn more about the intricacies of the functioning of an ecosystem.
The current threats to bio-diversity include the growing population and the expansion of human settlements, which inevitably leads to encroachment on the habitats of plants and animals. Habitat destruction is one of the factors that force animals to move to new grounds, where reduction in food availability or competition with other animals reflects on the decreased populations.
Sri-Lanka is one such bio-diversity “hot spot”, and shares this prestigious name with the Western Ghats of India. A greater bio-diversity is observed in the wet zone of Sri-Lanka. The wet zone also includes urban areas such as Colombo, Kandy, and Galle.
Thus we all live in close proximity to bio-diversity rich areas and also places a huge responsibility on all of us to preserve bio-diversity. What can you do to ensure that your lifestyle is not harmful to the bio-diversity in the area? Minimise the use of pesticides – they can affect a variety of species, amphibians are particularly sensitive to pesticides. Minimise the use of fertilisers – they can cause serious harm to amphibian and fish population especially if it leaches in to water-ways. Use eco-friendly or bio-degradable cleaning products.
Set up bird-baths and feeders in gardens to attract birds – it is always pleasant to hear the chirping of birds in the morning. Do not kill or harm endangered species – they are endangered because there are so few of them and they are in danger of extinction. Learn more about the variety of wildlife so that you better understand their importance.
Do you have any comments / questions / ideas you would like to share? Email them to savegreenwithet@gmail.com
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