BIODIVERSITY

AND THE
HEALTHY
SOCIETY
BIODIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHY SOCIETY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAi3VTSdTxU
The production had an environmental theme,
showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation,
pollution, poaching, poverty and war. Jackson and
the world's people unite in a spiritual chant—"Earth
Song"—which summons a force that heals the
world.

BIODIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHY SOCIETY

 LESSON OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able
to:
• Determine the interrelatedness of society, environment and
health;
• Create a diagram that would show the relatedness of
species in forming up a diverse and healthy society
without compromising one another; and
• Identify everyday tasks and evaluate whether they
contribute to the wellness and health of biodiversity and
society or not.
BIODIVERSITY
 BIODIVERSITY
• All the different kinds of life you’ll find in one
area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and
even microorganisms like bacteria that make up
our natural world.
• Each of these species and organisms work
together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to
maintain balance and support life.
• Biodiversity supports everything in nature that
we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine,
and shelter.
 LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY
• – the genetic variation within a
population
• – the variety of species in a
community
• – the variety of communities in an
ecosystem
GENETIC DIVERSITY

A term used to describe

the variation in the DNA
sequence in each of our
genomes. 
Genetic variation is what
makes us
 SPECIE DIVERSITY
 The measure of biological diversity
observed in a particular ecological
community indicating a number of
species or species richness in an
ecological area.
 ECOSYSTEM
DIVERSITY
 The variety of different
habitats, communities and
ecological processes.
A biological community is
defined by the species
that occupy a particular
area and the interactions
between those species.
 ECOSYSTEM
A geographic area where plants, animals and other
organisms as well as the weather and landscapes ,
work/ interact together to form a bubble of life.
Ecosystem contains biotic or living things and
abiotic or nonliving things.
Biotic factors , include plants, animals and other
living organisms.
Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature and
humidity.
Ecosystem can be very large and / or small.
 Biodiversity is essential for the
processes that support all life on
Earth, including humans. Without a
wide range of animals, plants and
microorganisms, we cannot have
the healthy ecosystems that we rely
on to provide us with the air we
breathe and the food we eat.
 Therefore, we, as human
inhabitants of the ecosystem,
must preserve and conserve the
biodiversity of all creatures.
In simple terms, it is true that
people will always depend on
biodiversity on the wholeness of
our being and in our everyday
lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0ePIeiU0YI
 If we fail to keep the process of taking
care of the ecosystem, it is us who are
actually putting our lives at risk.

Significant decline in biodiversity has

direct human impact when ecosystem in its
insufficiency can no longer provide the
physical as well as social need of human
beings.

Indirectly, changes in the ecosystem affect

livelihood, income, and on occasion, may
even cause political conflict. (WHO).
 As humans put increasing pressure on the planet, using and
consuming more resources than ever before, we risk upsetting
the balance of ecosystems and losing biodiversity.
WWF’s 2022 Living Planet Report found an average 69%
decline in global populations of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles,
and amphibians since 1970. 

The 2019 landmark Global Assessment Report by the

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services reported 1 million animal and plant species are now
threatened with extinction—the highest number in human
history. 
  Biodiversity at Risk
• The extinction of many species in a relatively short
period of time is called a mass extinction.
• Earth has experienced several mass extinctions, each
probably caused by a global change in climate.
• It takes millions of years for biodiversity to rebound
after a mass extinction.
  Biodiversity at Risk
 Current Extinctions
• Scientists are warning that we are in the midst of
another mass extinction.
• The rate of extinctions is estimated to have increased
by a multiple of 50 since 1800, with up to 25 percent
of all species on Earth becoming extinct between 1800
and 2100. • The current mass extinction is different
from those of the past because humans are the primary
cause of the extinctions.
  Biodiversity at Risk
 How Do Humans Cause Extinctions?
• In the past 2 centuries, human population growth has
accelerated and so has the rate of extinctions.
• The major causes of extinction today are – the
destruction of habitats – the introduction of nonnative
species – pollution – the overharvesting of species
 Threats to Biodiversity
 • Habitat loss and destruction
• Alterations in ecosystem
composition
• Over-exploitation
• Pollution and contamination
• Global climate change
  Biodiversity at Risk
 Habitat Destruction and Fragmentation
• As human populations grow, we use more
land to build homes and harvest resources.
• In the process, we destroy and fragment the
habitats of other species.
• It is estimated that habitat loss causes almost
75 percent of the extinctions now occurring.
  Biodiversity at Risk
Alterations in Ecosystem Composition

•Alterations and sudden changes, either within

species groups or within the environment,
could begin to change entire ecosystems.
Alteration in ecosystems are a critical factor
contributing to species and habitat loss.
  Biodiversity at Risk
• Over-exploitation

•Over-hunting, over-fishing, or over-collecting

of species can quickly lead to its decline.
Changing consumption patterns of humans is
often cited as the key reason for this
unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.
  Biodiversity at Risk
• Pollution and Contamination

•Biological systems respond slowly to changes

in their surrounding environment. Pollution and
contamination cause irreversible damage to
species and varieties.
  Biodiversity at Risk
• Global Climate Change

•Both climate variability and climate change

cause biodiversity loss. Species and populations
may be lost permanently if they are not
provided with enough time to adapt to changing
climatic conditions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH5QlJz1O4c
 Biodiversity and Human Health

 Healthy communities rely on well-

functioning ecosystems. They provide clean
air, fresh water, medicines and food security.
  Biodiversity and Human Health
5 reasons why biodiversity matters – to human
health, the economy and your wellbeing

1. Biodiversity ensures health and food

security
Biodiversity underpins global nutrition and food security. Millions of species work
together to provide us with a 
large array of fruits, vegetables and animal products essential to a healthy, balanced
diet
.
  Biodiversity and Human Health
5 reasons why biodiversity matters – to human
health, the economy and your wellbeing
2. Biodiversity helps fight disease
Higher rates of biodiversity have been linked to an increase in human health.
First, plants are essential for medicines. For example, 
25% of drugs used in modern medicine are derived from rainforest plants while 
70% of cancer drugs are natural or synthetic products inspired by nature. This
means that every time a species goes extinct, we miss out on a potential new
medicine.
Second, 
biodiversity due to protected natural areas has been linked to lower instances of dise
ase
 such as Lyme disease and malaria. While the exact origin of the virus causing
COVID-19 is still unknown, 60% of infectious diseases originate from animals and 
70% of emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. As human activities
encroach upon the natural world, through deforestation and urbanisation, we reduce
the size and number of ecosystems. As a result, animals live in closer quarters with
one another and with humans, creating ideal conditions for the spread of zoonotic
diseases.
  Biodiversity and Human Health
5 reasons why biodiversity matters – to human
health, the economy and your wellbeing
3. Biodiversity benefits business
According to the World Economic Forum's recent 
Nature Risk Rising Report, more than half of the world’s GDP ($44
trillion) is highly or moderately dependent on nature. Many businesses
are, therefore, at risk due to increasing nature loss. 
Global sales of pharmaceuticals based on materials of natural origin are w
orth an estimated $75 billion a year
, while natural wonders such as 
coral reefs are essential to food and tourism.
  Biodiversity and Human Health
5 reasons why biodiversity matters – to human
health, the economy and your wellbeing
4. Biodiversity provides livelihoods
Humans derive approximately 
$125 trillion of value from natural ecosystems each year. Globally, 
three out of four jobs are dependent on water while the agricultural sector
employs over 60% of the world’s working poor. In the Global South,
forests are the source of livelihoods for over 1.6 billion people. In India,
forest ecosystems contribute 
only 7% to India’s GDP yet 57% of rural Indian communities’ livelihoods.
  Biodiversity and Human Health
5 reasons why biodiversity matters – to human
health, the economy and your wellbeing
5. Biodiversity protects us
Biodiversity makes the earth habitable. Biodiverse ecosystems provide 
nature-based solutions that buffer us from 
natural disasters such as floods and storms, filter our water and regenerate our soils.
The clearance of over 35% of the world’s mangroves for human activities has
increasingly put people and their homes at risk from floods and sea-level rise. If
today’s mangroves were lost, 18 million more people would be flooded every year
(an increase of 39%) and annual damages to property would increase by 16% ($82
billion).
Protecting and restoring natural ecosystems is vital to fighting climate change.
Nature-based solutions could provide 
37% of the cost-effective CO2 mitigation needed by 2030 to maintain global
warming within 2°C.
  Biodiversity and Health
Changes in biodiversity will expose human beings to
different kinds of diseases.
Changes to biodiversity can have severe and
unpredictable effects on the health of all living things,
including human beings.
 According to research, loss in biodiversity affects
human health , such as mental health ailments ,
depression, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, cancer,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma,
diabetes, obesity, occupational injuries, dysentery,
arthritis, and malaria.
 What is the importance of
biodiversity in science and
technology?
Biological diversity is the “infrastructure”
that supports life on our planet: the air we
breathe, the food we eat and the water we
drink are only possible as long as we have
healthy biodiversity – rich species and
ecosystem diversity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-UBUp2VOTE