THE NEED TO CONSERVE BIODIVERSITY

biological diversity short form "BIODIVERSITY" refers to the variety of life on Earth. It consists of the number, variety and variability of living organisms (animals, plants, fungi, microbes, etc.), the difference in their genetic makeup , and the ecosystems in which they occur( terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems).

Biodiversity is of three types which are genetic biodiversity, species biodiversity and ecological biodiversity.

Species biodiversity is the biodiversity at the most basic level, it refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area, it describes the difference between different individuals of thesame specie. Ecological biodiversity describes variations among the genetic resources of the organism, while on the other hand ecological biodiversity is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region. Diversity in different ecosystems like deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc.

BIODIVERSITY IN THE WORLD

Scientists have identified about 1.75 million different species. That includes 950,000 species of insects, 270,000 species of plants, 19,000 species of fish, 9,000 species of birds, and 4,000 species of mammals. At least 40,000 different plant species live in the Amazon rainforest of South America, more than 1,200 species of fish and 600 species of coral are endemic to the Bird’s Head Seascape in Indonesia, about 6,200 rare plant species are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa and there are millions more species yet to be discovered.

BIODIVERSITY IN NIGERIA

Nigeria has over 7,895 plant species, identified into 338 families and 2215 genera, including a significant number of them being endemic species.The diversity of the country’s natural ecosystems ranges from semi-arid savanna to mountain forests, rich seasonal floodplain up environments, rainforests, vast freshwater swamp forests and diverse coastal vegetation. Nigeria’s Niger Delta contains the largest tract of mangrove in Africa.

The forests in southeastern Nigeria(cross river) are known to be a hotspot for amphibian biodiversity. Nigeria is known as a global hotspot for primate species, with a great diversity found especially in the Gulf of Guinea forests. The most endangered gorilla subspecies on earth, the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), with an estimated population of less than 250 individuals, is found only in a couple of protected areas in Cross River State. Nigeria’s plants include many species with traditional value as food items, medicines and for various domestic uses; a number of these plants have been catalogued in various specific areas of the country. Nigeria is also an epicentre for diverse wild varieties of important crop plants.

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is essential for human health and well-being, economic prosperity, food safety and security, and other areas critical to all humans and all human societies.

Organisms, ecosystems and ecological processes supply us with oxygen and clean water, they help cycle carbon and fix nutrients, they enable plants to grow, they keep pests and diseases in check, and they help protect against flooding and to regulate the climate(UNICEF Report on Biodiversity 2020).

biological diversity of microorganisms, flora and fauna provides extensive benefits for biological, health, and pharmacological sciences. Significant medical and pharmacological discoveries are made through greater understanding of the earth's biodiversity. Loss in biodiversity may limit discovery of potential treatments for many diseases and health problems (WHO).

Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems. They provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security. They also limit disease and stabilize the climate(Biodiversity and health, WHO)

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

the practice of protecting and preserving the wealth and variety of species, habitats, ecosystems, and genetic diversity on the planet is known as the conservation of biodiversity.

The two types of conservation are In-situ conservation and Ex-situ conservation, In-situ Conservation involves the conservation of habitats, species and ecosystems in their natural environment e.g forest reserves, game reserves, national parks and sacred forests. While Ex-situ conservation involves the conservation of elements of biodiversity outside their natural environment e.g Zoos, botanical gardens and seed banks.

Some of the prominent conservation areas in Nigeria are;

Chad Basin National Park, Cross River National Park, Gashaka Gumti National Park, Kainji National Park,Kamuku National Park, Yankari National Park, Okeluse Forest Reserve, Okomu Forest Reserve, Oluwa Forest Reserve, Omo Forest Reserve, Sambisa Forest e.t.c

THREATS TO WORLD BIODIVERSITY

Despite the importance of biodiversity to the economic growth and health of humans and animals through ecosystem services, it is still facing threats of extinction due to the unsustainable activities of man( poaching, deforestation, overexploitation, climate change, land use change, illegal hunting and fishing e.t.c)

The current rate of global diversity loss is estimated to be 100 to 1000 times higher than the naturally occurring extinction rate, which is faster than any other time in human history.The Red List Index, which measures the overall extinction risk of species in selected taxonomic groups, reveals a deterioration of 9.2 per cent between 2000 and 2022(UN statistics), currently, there are more than 147,500 species on The IUCN Red List, with more than 41,000 species threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 38% of sharks and rays, 34% of conifers, 33% of reef building corals, 27% of mammals and 13% of birds.

GlOBAL RESPONSE TO BIODIVERSITY LOSS

To prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide, the UN has launched a Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

Government should engage in Species conservation and re-introduction projects, habitat restoration and setting up of protected areeas, enforcement of laws against deforestation and illegal hunting and fishing e.t.c

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