Biodiversity: The OG Life Hack We Keep Ignoring

Biodiversity isn't just about saving pandas and hugging trees (although pandas and trees are pretty great). It is our earths very own safety net, it safe-guards our survival on this planet. That's just how important it is... 

So, what exactly is biodiversity anyway?

Biodiversity is a term that represents the total variety of all life on earth. Thousands of world habitats, millions of different species, billions of different individuals and trillions of different characteristics they possess is all summed up into one term.

Biodiversity is built on three intertwined features-- ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity. The more the intertwining between these features, the denser and more resilient life on earth becomes. When life is at its most varied and biodiverse can we hope to thrive. 

Let's look at the Amazon rainforest, it is one of the most biodiverse regions on our planet, because of its complex ecosystems, huge mix of species and the genetic variety within those species. 

In the amazon rainforest tangled liana vines crawl up from the forest floor to the canopy, intertwining with the treetops and growing thick stems that support the towering trees. These trees provide seeds, fruits and leaves to herbivores such as tapirs and agoutis, which disperse the seeds throughout the forests to grow. The leftovers are then consumed by insects which help decompose and recycle nutrients to form rich soil. The Amazon rainforest is a huge system filled with several smaller systems with many interconnected species such as this particular system that gaurantee a healthy and functioning planet.

Our planet is like a long train of fabric which represents the profound biodiversity. Every link provides stability to the next strengthening biodiversity's weave. This weave is reinforced by the genetic diversity within individual species allowing them to cope with changes. Species that lack this genetic diversity due to isolation or low population numbers are vulnerable to fluctuations caused by climate change, diseases or habitat fragmentation. Whenever a species disappears due to a weakened gene pool a stitch is undone, and the fabric begins to disintegrate...

What if we were to remove one species from a vast system? Would the system fall apart?

If it was a system with the colossal volume of species and genetic diversity as the amazon rainforest, with a rich biodiversity, one species gap would not cause the entire system to unravel. But, in some environments taking away one important component can undermine the entire system.

In coral reefs, the organisms are heavily dependent on the coral. It provides key microhabitats, shelter and breeding grounds to thousands of species of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Corals also form interdependent relationships with the fungi and bacteria. So, the coral is considered a keystone organism.

Human actions such as destructive fishing practices, pollution, and ocean acidification weaken and kills the coral. The loss of the keystone species leaves its dependents at a loss too, threatening the entire fabric of the reef.

We humans are also woven into this web of biodiversity, and when just a few strands are lost our well-being is threatened as well... Which is why, although, our planets biodiversity acts as a free safety net it will only do so if there is a lot of it and at the moment it is under attack.

How can we as individuals help preserve earth's biodiversity

Support local farms-

Regularly buying from small local farmers supports agricultural efforts to conserve biodiversity. Farmers who practice integrated pest management can offer high quality products with nearly no chemical intervention.

Save Bees

Bees are biodiversity’s busy little bodyguards. Protecting them protects entire ecosystems—including the ones we depend on. We as individuals can plant native wildflowers and plants as bees evolved with them and love them best. We can also plant a mix that blooms across all seasons, even one or two pots can help. We can say no to chemical fertilizers, especially pesticides such as neonicotinoids, which are lethal to bees.

Support sustainable choices-

Choose products with eco-labels. Less palm oil, more shade-grown coffee. Bonus: it usually tastes better.

Eat a bit smarter-

Cut down on meat and fish from unsustainable sources. Try that lentil recipe. You’ll live.

Rewild your lawn-

Trade your grass desert for a mini meadow. Less mowing, more butterflies.

Conserve water-

Biodiversity depends on the abundance of fresh water. Taking five-minute showers and turning the water off while washing your hands, doing the dishes, or brushing your teeth are all easy ways to conserve water.

Biodiversity isn’t some luxury for rich countries or nature documentaries. It’s the scaffolding that holds life together. And right now, it’s cracking. But we still have a choice: stand by while ecosystems collapse—or help rebuild the wild, one action at a time.

Tell me in the comments:

When was the last time you felt truly connected to nature—and what will you do to protect that feeling?

To know more-

6 Key Ways to Protect Biodiversity That Anyone Can Implement - One More Tree Foundation

Why is biodiversity important - with Sir David Attenborough | The Royal Society

-The Voice of the Earth