Biodiversity and Food Production

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Biodiversity has been defined as the diversity of living organisms (Godfray 2011). However, this definition is not comprehensive. Some experts have argued that biodiversity is the sum of all living things. When the two approaches are merged and combined, biodiversity becomes a variety of living organisms including the genetic variety within a species. Living things include plants, animals, microorganisms and coral reefs that have a life cycle. This paper will analyze the importance of biodiversity in food production and the implications for human existence. It will also examine future approaches to biodiversity and food production.

It has been argued that biodiversity is not a new concept. It has been in existence for many centuries. The ancient civilizations respected everything the earth possesses and provides human beings with. All human activities were governed by certain community norms created to preserve the earth. Experts pinpoint that an old concept has only been renamed, which is true to some extent. The word biodiversity has entered common usage recently. But this does not mean that older generations of humans did not understand the importance of biodiversity. It has been pointed out that they actually did a better job than the present generations. Current environmental destruction has been attributed to population explosion and its attendant effects. Food production is heavily reliant on biodiversity. The productivity of plants and animals is directly affected by other organisms.

Environmental degradation is not confined to particular areas of the planet only. However, certain areas are more susceptible to destruction than others. For instance, coral reefs are more delicate than any other ecosystem. Therefore, any slight variation in the climate can cause far reaching effects. Some countries contribute more to environmental destruction than others owing to lack of proper legislation. It is important to note that destruction of ecosystems can be caused by factors beyond human control. Some major natural occurrences may cause a major change in the composition of an ecosystem.

Several organisms have provided food for humans since time immemorial. A wide range of organisms form part of human diet. The organisms that man eats range from plants, fish to birds and animals and fungi. Edible fungi are mushrooms. The edible plant and animal species have been shrinking over the years. Edible organisms are few as compared to the total number of organisms in the ecosystem. However, the edible species depend on other species. Good yields can only be realized through the establishment of a proper balance between the edible species and other species. This balance is necessary for optimum yields.

Several edible plants depend on insects and birds for pollination (Aizen, Ashworth and Galetto 2002). Pollination of flowers is an important aspect of food production. Pollination may determine the amount and the quality of crop yields. Furthermore, plants that rely on seeds for reproduction require pollination in order for the seeds to be viable. Seed viability affects the germination rate. Several edible plants and plants that produce edible products like vegetables and fruits are pollinated by either insects or birds. Therefore, preserving these birds and insects is in the interest of humanity. High yields are required to feed the large population. For instance, bees have been found to play an important role in the pollination of many crops. Therefore, other than directly providing food for humans, bees also aid in food production. Tomatoes are among the most widely used vegetables in the world. Tomatoes grown in the open fields are pollinated by insects and wind. It is important to note that in the absence of pollination tomatoes do not yield good fruit. Therefore, bird and insect pollinators are an important part of food production.

Genetic diversity within a species has a great impact on food production. Genetic diversity within a species is important in pest and disease control. Some varieties of plants are resistant to drought, diseases and pests. Better yields can be obtained from these varieties. Some breeds of domesticated animals are resistant to diseases. This resistance to disease is of both economic and environmental importance. These breeds can be crossbred with other breeds to give rise to animals with a superior genetic pool. Preservation of genetic variety is, therefore, important for food production. Food production in turn has a positive effect on the economy because money spent on food at the household level is reduced. Money saved from food expenses can be used to purchase other items, which is necessary for the economy to thrive.

Biodiversity also has a direct effect on pest control. Pest control is one of the most important factors of food production. Pests cause a significant decrease in yields. Nature has its on way of balancing prey and predators. This concept can be used in controlled farming to control pests without upsetting the ecosystem. Several birds and insects feed on other organisms regarded as pests by farmers. Farmers can introduce birds and insects into their farms to control pests. Insects and birds that feed on pests also pollinate the plants. This method of pest control does not cause environmental degradation. Pest control is an integral part of food production that cannot be ignored.

Microorganisms also have a positive impact on food production. Animals and plants harbor a great variety of microorganisms in and on their bodies. Bacteria and fungi are by far the most important. Microorganisms present on the surface or in the bodies of animals are known as normal flora. These microorganisms benefit the animal either directly or indirectly. When animals and plants die, their bodies are broken down by the microorganisms. This process is known as decomposition that consists in the fact that it releases the basic building blocks of plant and animal cells into the soil being an important area of the life cycle. The released elements join their natural cycles in the ecosystem. For instance, nitrogen joins the nitrogen cycle. This recycling of basic elements is important because it ensures that energy is reused, thus, preserving the environment. Once these elements have joined their natural cycles, they are used to support new life. They provide the necessary nutrients to plants. Therefore, this process is important in food production. Microorganisms, as such, play an important role in the environment. However, there are a number of harmful bacteria. The harmful microorganisms destabilize the ecosystem because they may cause sudden deaths of a big number of animals or plants.

Of all the organisms present on earth humans represent the greatest danger to the planet. Human activity is the main cause of environmental degradation. In a number of reports it has been highlighted that some organisms would become extinct owing to human activity. For instance, blue whales may become extinct if deliberate measures are not taken to protect them. Blue whales continue to be hunted even with their dwindling numbers. Forest ecosystems have had to be cleared to pave way for new buildings, agriculture and roads (Achard et al 2002). The coral reefs being one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet are also in danger of extinction. Preservation of the environment should become an urgent agenda everywhere in the world. There are a number of ways that can be used to preserve biological diversity.

The future of biological diversity can only be guaranteed by a shift from harmful human practices to preservative practices (Phalan, Onial, Balmford, Green 2011). There is need to adopt new farming methods. Biological diversity can be preserved through organic farming. It has been shown that organic farming can give good harvests comparable to those of conventional farming. Organic farming provides conditions similar to the natural growing conditions of the plants. Organic farming is good for biodiversity. Organic farms provide conditions that encourage the growth of a variety of organisms. Therefore, organic farming is a promising method that can be used to protect the environment (Vandermeer and Perfecto 2005).

The future of biodiversity is in legislation. Formulation and enforcement of environmental laws are crucial for environmental protection. Environmental degradation is a concern for all human beings in the world. Governments should formulate environmental laws that are relevant to local situations. Environmental protection will indeed get increased government support in the future. Legislation is important in guiding conservation efforts. In addition, it prescribes methods of punishment for those who violate it.

In order to improve food security, it is important to minimize wastage. It has been reported that much of the food that is produced in the world goes to waste. Reducing wastage ensures that a certain amount of food can feed more people. Therefore, this will have an indirect effect on conservation of the environment because more forests will not be cleared to create farms.

In addition to minimizing wastage, production efficiency could also be improved. Current farms should be able to produce at their maximum potential (Ewers, Scharlemann, Balmford and Green 2009). Exploiting all the potential of a farm before opening up new fields ensures that forests are preserved. It is possible to improve efficiency of a farm regardless of the farming method.

The importance of genetically modified organisms in food security and preservation of biodiversity is somewhat questionable. There is no doubt genetically modified foods yield better than their natural counterparts. This can solve the problem of food insecurity experienced in various parts of the world. Genetically modified foods are disease and pest resistant. Their nutritional value appears to be at par with that of non-engineered organisms. In fact, in some cases it has been claimed that they are nutritionally superior to the non engineered organisms since genetic modification may permit the introduction of genes that enable plants to make and store more nutrients. However, all these benefits appear to lose prominence when potential damage to the environment by these organisms is examined. Genetically modified organisms especially plants could invade natural ecosystems and choke natural organisms. There could also be situations in which the organisms cross-breed with natural ones, producing undesirable offspring. This can significantly alter the ecosystem causing loss of other species. Chemicals used on genetically modified organisms could destroy other naturally occurring plants.

Any measures taken at the moment are restorative. It must be taken into consideration that the biological ecosystems have suffered for centuries, so, any restorative measures must consider time. Full restoration is not possible owing to the fact that some species have become extinct, and there is nothing that can be done to bring them back. Due to a large number of countries, formulation and enforcement of environmental laws will not be unanimous and uniform. Owing to this fact, environmental destruction will continue in some parts of the world. However, responsible nations should urge and coerce others to protect the environment as biodiversity is crucial for the existence of future generations.

Considering everything said above, it can be concluded that biodiversity is the variety of organisms found on earth. Biological diversity has been expanded to include genetic diversity that denotes a variation in the genetic composition of members of one species. Biodiversity is important for food production. Human food is derived from other living things, therefore, their greater variety provides adequate nutrition. Birds and insects pollinate crops. Bird and insect pollinators are crucial for the reproduction of seed bearing plants. Some insects and birds feed on pests thus increasing production. When animals and plants die, microorganisms decompose their bodies thus releasing basic elements back to the soil where they are utilized by other organisms. The genetic diversity within a species can confer disease resistance. The future of food production lies in organic farming and adoption of new farming techniques. Environmental degradation can be managed through legislation. Countries should formulate laws to protect the environment. Preservation of biodiversity should be the concern of all countries. On the one hand, genetically modified organisms could provide sufficient food for the growing human population, but at the same time, due to controversy surrounding its safety, it is yet to be embraced in all countries. Valid concerns have been raised about its potential to invade and damage natural ecosystems.

References

Achard, F et al 2002, Determination of Deforestation Rates of the Worlds Humid Tropical Forests, Science, vol.297, no. 5583, pp. 999-1002.

Aizen, A, Ashworth, L and Galetto, L 2002, Reproductive success in fragmented habitats: do compatibility systems and pollination specialization matter?, Journal of Vegetation Science, vol.13, no.6, pp. 885-892.

Ewers, R, Scharlemann, J, Balmford, A and Green, R 2009, Do increases in agricultural yield spare land for nature?, Global Change Biology, vol.15, pp.1716-1726.

Godfray, J 2011, Food and Biodiversity, Science, vol. 308, no. 5730, pp. 1912-1915.

Phalan B, Onial M, Balmford, A, Green, E 2011, Reconciling Food Production and Biodiversity Conservation: Land Sharing and Land Sparing Compared, Science vol.333, pp. 12891291.

Vandermeer, J and Perfecto, I 2005. The future of farming and conservation, Science vol. 308, pp. 12571258.

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Biodiversity and Food Production

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