UNP—Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Lesson
Biodiversity and
8 The Human Society

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Determine the interrelatedness of society, environment, and health.
2. Examine the major current threats to biodiversity.
3. Explain the relevance of biodiversity in contributing to wellness and a healthy society.

Introduction
The term "biodiversity" refers to the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can also be
used to refer to all of the species in a specific region or ecosystem. Every living thing, including plants,
bacteria, animals, and humans, is included in the term "biodiversity." Scientists estimate that there are
approximately 8.7 million plant and animal species on the planet. However, only about 1.2 million
species have been identified and described thus far, with the majority of them being insects. This
means that millions of other organisms are completely unknown.

Over the course of countless generations, every species that is still around today has devel-
oped its own set of distinctive characteristics that set it apart from other species. Scientists make use of
these characteristics in order to identify one species as distinct from another. Different species are
groups of creatures that have become so genetically distinct from one another through the course of
evolution that they are unable to procreate with one another. Those creatures are considered to be
members of the same species if they are able to reproduce with one another. Scientists are interested in
the answer to the question, "How much biodiversity is there on a global scale?" since there is still a
significant amount of biodiversity that has not been discovered. They also explore the amount of
species that can be found in a single habitat, such as a lake, forest, grassland, or tundra. Examples of
these ecosystems include: Even a little grassland can be home to a wide variety of animals, such as
beetles, snakes, and antelopes. For instance, the warm and moist climate that is typical of tropical
locations provides the optimal natural conditions for plant growth in ecosystems that contain the
greatest variety of plant and animal life. There are some creatures that are impossible to see with the
naked eye that can be found in ecosystems. Samples of soil or water, when viewed via a microscope,
reveal an entire universe of bacteria and other extremely small species.

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Some parts of the world have more biodiversity than others, such as Mexico, South Africa,
Brazil, the southwestern United States, and Madagascar. Hotspots are areas with extremely high levels
of biodiversity. Endemic species—species that can only be found in one place—are also found in
hotspots. To survive and maintain their ecosystems, all of the Earth's species collaborate. Cattle, for
example, are fed by the grass in pastures. Cattle then produce manure, which returns nutrients to the
soil and aids in the growth of more grass. This manure can be used to fertilize cropland as well. Many
species provide valuable services to humans, such as food, clothing, and medicine.

However, much of the Earth's biodiversity is in jeopardy as a result of human consumption

and other activities that disrupt and even destroy ecosystems. Biodiversity is threatened by pollution,
climate change, and population growth. These threats have resulted in a previously unheard-of increase
in the rate of species extinction. According to some scientists, half of all species will be extinct within
the next century. Conservation efforts are required to protect endangered species and their habitats
and to preserve biodiversity. (https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/biodiversity/)

Benefits of Diverse Biodiversity

1. Increase ecosystem productivity; each species in an ecosystem has a specific niche.
2. Support a larger number of plant species and, therefore, a greater variety of crops.
3. Protect freshwater resources.
4. Promote soils formation and protection.
5. Provide for nutrient storage and recycling.
6. Aid in breaking down pollutants.
7. Contribute to climate stability.
8. Speed recovery from natural disasters.
9. Provide more food resources.
10. Provide more medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs.
11. Offer environments for recreation and tourism. Source: http://ete.cet.edu/gcc/?/biodiversity_importance/

Threats to Biodiversity

1. Climate Change

Climate change is the long-term and irreversible change in the Earth's climate. The rising
temperature of the atmosphere has a significant impact on the environment, such as changing seasons,
rising sea levels, and glacial retreats.
• The biodiversity of organisms is affected in terms of population, distribution, ecosystem
level, and even individual morphology and function.
• Organisms have already adapted to the rising temperature by expanding their latitude ranges.
Many species' populations have declined as a result of this behavior. Aside from that, many
animals have shown shifts in the timing of their physiological functions. These include birds
and insects migrating and mating earlier than usual, resulting in some failures in breeding and
child production.
• In terms of ecosystems, studies have revealed that climate change has resulted in the expan-
sion of many desert ecosystems, which has an impact on the function and services that the
ecosystem can provide.

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For humans, the rapidly increasing rate of climate change poses significant threats to
human security, as natural resources become increasingly scarce. Global warming and climate change
are already having irreversible effects on biodiversity. And if these effects are not mitigated, they can
lead to more serious threats in the future.

2. Habitat Loss

Changes in the environment that result in the loss of a specific habitat's functional value
are referred to as habitat loss. The habitat can no longer accommodate and sustain the life of the
organisms present, causing their population to decline.
• Habitat loss can be caused by natural events such as natural disasters and geological events,
or by anthropogenic activities such as deforestation and man-made climate change. Organ-
isms that were once found in a specific area or region are displaced and forced to relocate as
a result of habitat degradation, resulting in a reduction in biodiversity.

Man-made efforts are, in fact, the primary cause of habitat loss. At the moment, the prac-
tice of clearing ecosystems for agricultural conversion and industrial expansion is displacing organisms
from their natural habitat. Logging and mining are two other activities.

3. Pollution

Pollution, whether in the form of water, air, or land, appears to be a threat to all life forms
on Earth. However, when it comes to the nutrient loading of the elements nitrogen and phosphorus,
it poses a significant threat to biodiversity.
• In Europe, atmospheric nitrogen is the only pollutant whose concentration has not de-
creased since legislation was enacted. Its mere presence complicates conservation efforts
aimed at natural habitats and the species that live there.
• Furthermore, nitrogen compounds in water systems can cause eutrophication (excessive
plant and algal growth).
• The presence and accumulation of phosphorus in water systems can alter the functioning of
food webs. Excess phosphorus, like excess nitrogen, can cause uncontrolled growth of plank-
tonic algae, increasing organic matter deposition on the seafloor.
• Acid rain is another type of pollution that can harm and kill living organisms. Acid rain, as
the name implies, is rain that contains harmful acids (i.e., nitric and sulfuric acid). This rain is
typically caused by pollution caused by the excessive use of fossil fuels.

Some types of pollution, such as ozone layer depletion, are reversible. This will only hap-
pen if humans stop or limit their use of various chemicals that contribute to its demise.

4. Invasive Species

An exotic or unnatural species is any organism that has been introduced to a new environ-
ment. This introduction can pose significant threats to native species, as they are frequently subjected
to intense competition for resources, disease, and predation. When these species have successfully
colonized an area, they are already referred to as "invasive."

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• Invasive species are the second most serious threat to biodiversity, after habitat loss.
• The ability of invasive species to change an entire habitat is the greatest threat they can pose.
These species are highly adaptable and can quickly take over an area. Because many natural
species can only survive in a specific environment, they are often displaced or, in the worst-
case scenario, extinct.
• Some areas have extremely low chances of species invasion. These are typically places with
harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures and high salinity.

5. Overexploitation

Overexploitation is the practice of harvesting species and natural resources at a rate that
exceeds their ability to sustain themselves in the wild. As a result, species populations are at risk of
extinction.
• Overexploitation includes practices such as overharvesting, overfishing, and overhunting.
• Furthermore, when the number of living organisms is too small, some of them have difficulty
reproducing.
• As a population or ecosystem continues to suffer from low species diversity, the likelihood of
being completely wiped out by a natural disaster or other forces increases.. https://
www.bioexplorer.net/threats-to-biodiversity.html/

Biodiversity and Its Impact

on Humanity

Long-term development, human well-being, and sustainability depend on biodiversity.

Nearly half of the world's population depends directly on natural resources for existence, and many of
the most vulnerable rely entirely on biodiversity. It's a center for forestry, fishing, and crop and cattle
farming. It supplies food, fiber, water, mitigates climate change, boosts human health, and supports
employment in agriculture, fishery, forestry, and other industries. Loss of biodiversity has several con-
sequences:

1. Nutritional impact of biodiversity

Biodiversity affects human nutrition because it preserves soil fertility and provides genetic
resources for food crops, livestock, and marine species. Having enough nutrient-dense foods is vital
for general wellness. Nutrition and biodiversity are connected on numerous levels, including the envi-
ronment, the species in the ecosystem, and genetic diversity within species. Foods' nutritional profiles
and types, cultivars, and breeds can affect the availability of micronutrients in the diet. Maintaining
high biodiversity ensures the consumption of nutritious foods with an acceptable amount of average
nutrients.

The introduction of new crop varieties and patterns, as well as irrigation and fertilizer use,
plant protection (pesticides), and plant protection all have an impact on biodiversity, global nutrition,
and human health. The increased vulnerability of a community to illness is caused by the simplification
of its habitat, the loss of species, and the succession of species.

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2. Importance of biodiversity for health research and traditional medicine

Traditional medicine is still an essential component of modern medical practice, particular-

ly in primary care. It is believed that sixty percent of the world's population makes use of traditional
medicines, and the traditional medical practices of various nations play a significant role in the public
health systems of those nations. Traditional and complementary medical practices all over the world
rely heavily on the use of medicinal plants as an important component of their treatment modalities.
Both wild populations and domesticated plant populations can be a source of medicinal herbs. Many
cultures, in addition to relying on natural resources acquired from ecosystems for food, also rely on
those ecosystems for medicinal and cultural purposes.

There is still a global need and demand for natural products to be used as medicinal produ
cts and in biomedical research that relies on plants, animals, and microbes to understand human physi
ology and to understand and treat human diseases. This is the case even though synthetic medicines ar
e available for a variety of uses.

3. Infectious diseases

The structure and function of ecosystems are being severely disrupted as well as the native
biodiversity being changed as a direct result of human activity. These disruptions cause changes in the
interactions that occur between organisms and the physical and chemical environments in which they
live by reducing the abundance of some creatures while simultaneously boosting the population of
other organisms. These changes can have a significant impact on the patterns of infectious disease.
Deforestation, changes in land use, water management practices (such as dam construction, irrigation,
uncontrolled urbanization or urban sprawl), resistance to pesticide chemicals used to control certain
disease vectors, climate variability and change, migration, international travel and trade, and the acci-
dental or intentional transmission of infectious diseases are all major processes that can have an effect
on infectious disease reservoirs and transmission. Infectious disease reservoirs and transmission can
also be affected by the intentional transmission of infectious diseases.

4. Climate change, biodiversity and health

The maintenance of biodiversity is essential to the provision of a wide variety of ecosystem

services, many of which are important to the well-being of humans both now and in the future. The
climate is a crucial part of the functioning of ecosystems, and the effects of climatic conditions on
terrestrial and marine ecosystems have both direct and indirect consequences on the health of hu-
mans. The acidity of the ocean, which is connected to the quantities of carbon in the atmosphere, has
an effect on the biodiversity of marine organisms. The variability of the climate, such as the occur-
rence of extreme weather events (for example, droughts and floods), has a direct influence on the
health of ecosystems, in addition to the production and availability of ecosystem goods and services
for human use. Long-term changes in climate have an effect on the viability and health of ecosystems,
causing alterations in the distribution of plants, pathogens, animals, and even human settlements. This
can affect everything from crop yields to the spread of infectious diseases.. https://www.who.int/globalchange/
ecosystems/biodiversity/en/

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Multilateral Environmental Agreements & Philippine Environmental Laws

Sustainable development is supported by biodiversity, which also highlights the

necessity for coordinated policy solutions to tackle major global issues at once. Healthy
ecosystems are the source of both contemporary and conventional medicines and aid in
reducing soil, water, and air pollution. They support the provision of water supplies, ensure
the quality of the water, and provide protection from disasters involving the water; they are
a source of energy; they can provide dependable and affordable natural infrastructure; they
generally offer rudimentary services to cities, and they offer nature-based solutions to prob-
lems relating to urban well-being and climate change. However, present unsustainable pro-
duction and consumption practices, as well as illicit wildlife trade, fishing, and wood trade,
are undermining all of these. In order to secure the biodiversity resources of the earth, the
following International Treaties and Agreements for the Protection of Biodiversity were
promulgated.

International Treaties and Agreements for the Protection of Biodiversity

NT ERNATIONAL
TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

• Basel Convention (** 1989)

HAZARDOUS WASTE • Basel Convention Amendment (1995)

• Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Trans-
boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes (1999)

• Convention on Nuclear Safety (1994)

• Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of
NUCLEAR WASTE Radioactive Waste Management (2001)
• Paris Convention (1960)
• Protocol to Amend the Paris Convention (2004)

• Agreement for the Establishment of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (1948)

and Amendments (1961)
• Agreement Instituting the Latin American Organization for Fisheries Develop-
ment (OLDEPESCA) (1982)
• Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic (1982)
OCEAN AND
MARINE SOURCES • Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (1993)
• Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources
(1974) & “OSPAR” Convention (1992)
• UNECE Water Convention (1992) and Amendment (2003)
• UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International
Watercourses (1997)

• Vienna Convention (1985)

OZONE AND PROTECTION OF
THE ATMOSPHERE
• Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979)
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention (1997)
• Montreal Protocol (1987), *London Amendment (1990), *Copenhagen Amend-
ment (1992), *Montreal Amendment (1997), and *Beijing Amendment (1999)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)

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• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973) &
1978 Protocol (“MARPOL”)
• International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of
Oil Pollution Casualties (1969) and Protocol (1973)
POLLUTION
• International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage
(2001)
• International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (1969) &
Protocols of 1976, 1984, 1992, and 2000 Amendments
• Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)

• Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development (1992), Rio

Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), and the Statement of
Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests (1992)

PROTECTION OF • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)

SPECIES AND WILDLIFE • Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
• *North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (1993)
• *United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experienc-
ing Serious Drought (1994)

• Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development (1992), Rio

Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), and the Statement of
Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests (1992)
• Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980)
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT • *Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl
Habitat (“Ramsar”) (1971), *Paris Protocol (1982), and Regina Amendments
(1987)
• Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992)
• Antarctic Treaty (1959) & *Protocol on Environmental Protection (1991)

• Convention on Int’l Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

[“CITES”] (1973)
TRADE & THE ENVIRONMENT • North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation [“NAAEC”] (1993)
• Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-
Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (1998)

1. REPUBLIC ACT 9003 ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000

The law seeks to implement a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste man-
agement program in collaboration with stakeholders, with the goal of protecting public health and the
environment. The law ensures proper solid waste segregation, collection, storage, treatment, and dis-
posal through the development and implementation of best eco-waste products.

2. REPUBLIC ACT 9275 PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER ACT OF 2004

The goal of the law is to protect the country's water bodies from pollution caused by land-
based sources (industries and commercial establishments, agriculture, and community/household
activities). It calls for a comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and reduce pollution through
a multi-sectoral and participatory approach that includes all stakeholders.

3. REPUBLIC ACT 8749 PHILIPPINE CLEAN AIR ACT OF 1999

The law aims to achieve and maintain clean air that meets the National Air Quality guide-
line values for criteria pollutants throughout the Philippines, while minimizing the potential economic
consequences.

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