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| Cubbon Park in Bengaluru. Photo source: Karnataka Tourism |
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is a term that encompasses a whole lot of things.
It refers to all forms of life on Earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. It also includes the systems they inhabit, like terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments.
Biodiversity also refers to the diversity of existence, like genetic diversity (variation within species), species diversity (variety of species in a region), and ecosystem diversity (different ecosystems like forests, coral reefs, and wetlands).
It also includes the interactions among organisms and their environments.
So, it is a whole lot of things.
ITS IMPORTANCE
The richness of biodiversity is important for us.
It ensures the variety of crops, livestock, and marine species that provide us with nutrition.
Several modern medicines, including antibiotics and painkillers, are derived from natural sources. Biodiversity loss would mean less chances of discovering new medical treatments.
Biodiversity ensures balanced ecosystems which in turn means fewer diseases.
Forests and wetlands filter air and water, thus reducing pollution-related health risks.
"The degradation of wetlands, which filter freshwater, has led to a 35% decline in global wetland coverage since 1970, increasing waterborne diseases and reducing water availability for over 2 billion people," says the World Health Organisation.
Forests also absorb carbon dioxide mitigating climate change impacts like extreme weather events.
Access to biodiverse natural areas improves mental health by reducing stress and enhancing cognitive function. It also supports physical health by encouraging outdoor activities and reducing chronic diseases, according to this article on "Benefits of Biodiversity to Human Health and Well-being".
BENGALURU'S BIODIVERSITY
Bengaluru (earlier Bangalore) commonly referred to by many epithets like India’s Silicon Valley, Pub Capital, Pensioners’ Paradise, Garden City, etc., boasts a surprisingly rich biodiversity.
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| Slender Loris on the Indian Institute Science campus, Bengaluru. Photo source: Kalyan Varma/JLR Explore. |
Surprising, because over the last two decades, the city has seen an unimaginable pace of urbanisation.
Some statistics about what Bengaluru has are quite striking.
- 41 species of mammals, including the slender loris, leopards, jungle cats, and several species of bats and rodents. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
- Over 300 species of birds have been documented, including long-distance migratory birds from the Himalayas, Central Asia, and Siberia. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
- The grasslands of Hesarghatta in Bengaluru alone host around 235 species of birds. (Oorvani)
- The city has 52 species of reptiles and 17 species of amphibians. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
- Bengaluru is home to 1,707 species of insects and arachnids, along with thousands of plant species. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
- Despite a decline from 400 to 227 lakes, Bengaluru's lakes remain crucial biodiversity hotspots. For example, Dorekere Lake supports 230 species of flora and fauna, including 74 bird species. (Deccan Herald)
While I knew Bengaluru had a pleasant climate, these figures surprised me.
The city has a number of citizen activist groups, besides resident welfare associations and similar community organisations that work to protect and enhance urban biodiversity through surveys, conservation projects, and awareness campaigns.
That's something really good about this city.
(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. The theme is environment)
I love lorises! I know a very cute folktale about them :)
ReplyDeleteThe Multicolored Diary
Wow! What a wealth of information on biodiversity. A veritable treasure trove! Your regular posts, crisp with salient facts on the subject. are looked forward to with eagerness.
ReplyDeleteHowever, don’t you see the mindless growing concrete jungles occupying waterbodies, destruction of trees, shrinking parks, bulging automobiles in astronomical proportions pose a serious threat if there is no careful planning across the large cities?
Glad to note Bengaluru remains unaffected
Luckily AQI of Bengaluru is in tolerable level.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteThese are really rather encouraging statistics. Urbanisation is really quite unavoidable as our population explodes, but if that very population itself can keep up the standard of caring for the environment even as we displace it, there is room for hope. YAM xx
Urbanization is the enemy of biodiversity. I hope all remains well where you are. Don't let the businesses take over the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I did not know all these until I read your post.
ReplyDeleteThat is excellent to learn there are local groups of activists working away at helping to keep the area's sustainability intact.
ReplyDeleteWhile nature can certainly be cruel, it's also amazingly wonderful. While typing, I can hear a bird singing outside my window, always a joyful sound. :) My husband and I follow a Youtube channel called The Lion Whisperer; this man works with various species in South Africa and their walks around the preserve are fun to see. Best wishes, my dear.
ReplyDelete