The Value of Biodiversity

(WORKSHEET)

Image description: Two bee-eater birds are sitting on a branch, the one on the right has a bee in it's beak.

Habitat change is when an ecosystem's plants, soil, water or other resources are destroyed, thinned or fragmented. This often happens with building, mining, logging, or clearing land for agriculture.

Forests that have been growing for hundreds or thousands of years are considered “old-growth forests”. Old-growth forests have trees of different ages, openings where sunlight can reach the forest floor, and lots of decaying trees and plants where mosses, fungi and animals and a huge diversity of life can make their homes! However, 90% of old-growth forests in the United States have been cleared for logging which changes the habitat that all those species make their home in. 

Image description: A woman in a blue dress sits at the base of a giant  stump of an old-growth tree  logged in the Klanawa Valley of Vancouver island.

Explore an old growth forest! Take a moment to explore an old-growth forest in California’s Redwood National Park in 360! Use the arrows in the top right corner to move the camera around. What makes an old-growth forest special?

 Invasive species are non-native, or species from a different place or ecosystem, that cause harm to the balance of the native ecosystem which has evolved together over many thousands of years. Oftentimes, invasive species out-compete native species because they have no predators to keep them in check.

Island ecosystems are especially sensitive to invasive species. Pua'a (feral pigs) are an invasive species on the Hawaiian islands. Pua'a eat large amounts of plants, spread invasive seeds and create hollows that allow invasive mosquitoes to overpopulate, which has spread avian malaria to many of Hawai'i's native birds and caused their populations to decline.

Image description: A camera trap image of t he pua'a or feral pig  is shown in a Hawaiian forest with lots of plant life. This image came from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.

Explore invasive species! Check out the USDA’s Invasive Species Profiles List. Click on a species and learn more about it! Where is it native to? What were the means of introduction? How is it impacting the ecosystem?

Overexploitation happens when we take too much of something. This can cause species populations to crash, which disrupts the balance of the ecosystem and can even lead to the extinction of species, and others who depend on it.

Crown-of-thorns starfish are the second largest in the world and naturally occur in coral reefs, feeding on the tissues of stony corals. They are covered in large venomous spikes. When their predators, such as the giant triton snail and humphead Māori wrasse are overfished, the crown-of-thorns starfish populations can rapidly increase, causing an outbreak. During a population outbreak, crown-of-thorns starfish can eat 90% of a coral reef's living tissue!

Image description: A  crown-of-thorns starfish  has a red body with bluish-white spines that have read tips. The starfish sits on top of a stony coral as it eats the living tissue.

Play the game "BioHarmOnious" from Art Works for Change. Balance the needs of two planets- a natural planet and a manufactured planet without overexploiting to achieve BioHarmony. You only have six minutes to save both planets!

Something with instrumental value is valuable because it helps or provides for us. This is a more materialistic, "Human-first" viewpoint where we can measure the value of biodiversity by ecosystem services it provides.

This viewpoint is often used when making new laws and regulations or scientific reports, and is a way for people who may not see biodiversity's intrinsic or relational values to understand why biodiversity is important to them. 

Soil formation is an ecosystem service that creates soil and takes place over hundreds, thousands or millions of years. Soil is the foundation for all life on land and allows plants to grow and nutrients to cycle. It is made of two main ingredients: inorganic material like broken down rocks and organic material like fungi, microbes, insects and decaying matter. The different types of inorganic and organic materials soil is made of produces a huge diversity of soil types, which provides different growing conditions for plants. 

Image description: a  prairie dog  sits on top of a mound of dirt forming the entrance to it's burrow, or town.

The plants, animals and fungi that thrive thanks to soil formation and seed dispersal are not only important to biodiversity, but they provide useful resources for us humans. No matter what your diet is, we all rely on biodiversity for our food.  

When our habitat and biodiversity thrive, all sorts of compounds are made by many different species. These compounds have been used for all kinds of things throughout human history, including medicines to treat diseases. The majority of our most common medicines today come from plants, fungi and animals.

Indigenous peoples from around the world have used the bark of willow trees to treat pain for many thousands of years. In the late 1800’s, a company called Bayer figured out which chemical was responsible for reducing pain, and created a medicine called Aspirin. Aspirin is widely used today to treat pain, fever and heart disease. We are discovering new life-saving drugs all the time thanks to biodiversity! 

Image description: the male flowers, or catkins, of a black willow are shown on a branch of the tree with leaves.

Our habitats provide a place for us all to get outdoors and enjoy ourselves. Whether you’re playing in your backyard or exploring, these places and even the air we breathe are made possible by biodiversity! The enjoyment we get from being outdoors makes us happier and healthier people. 

When we are connected to our native biodiversity, we find a sense of place, or a sense of belonging, to our area. It may not be obvious, but the habitat we grow up in has helped shape us into the people we are today. The smell of the air when we go outside, the memories we have made playing outdoors and the plants and animals that are familiar to us make us who we are and connect us to our place in the world and its biodiversity. 

Image description: A pathway winding through the  San Diego Zoo Safari Park's Nativescapes garden  shows many flowers in bloom.

We understand that humans are connected to the health of biodiversity. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and organizations from around the world are adapting a "One Health" approach, which encourages medical doctors, veterinarians, biologists, agriculturalists and other groups worldwide to work together to create a healthy world for all life.

Image description: A veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo holds a baby giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca;  Chinese : 大熊猫;  pinyin : dàxióngmāo), at an animal checkup.

Think about the threats (HICOP) and what biodiversity provides for humans and other living things. Write your ideas on your (WORKSHEET)

Image description: An African  cheetah  (Acinonyx jubatus) mother licks her cub on the forehead.

Image description: A fly sits on top of a sticky sundew, a type of carnivorous plant.

Use the links below to find habitat restoration projects in your area. The Society for Ecological Restoration has a database of projects from around the world (first link). NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) also has a database of habitat cleanup projects, mostly on or near the coastline (second link).

Image description: Three Nene, Hawaiian geese, sit on he grass in front of a pond, taro field, and mountains.

Native plants are the foundation of our habitats and are a key part of a healthy ecosystem. The North American Native Plant Society (first link) has a database of all Native Plant Societies, use can use this to find one in your area. The National Wildlife Federation (second link) has a native plant finder which allows you to search for native plants by your zip code.

Image description: A  bee  collects pollen from the flower of California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has a database of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), which are local farms that you can buy fresh, local produce from (first link). The USDA also has a number of programs that can help you start a garden at your school or in your community (second link).

Image description: A sunbird sits upside-down on a banana flower.

The Break Free From Plastic movement is sponsoring the 2021 Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act which will help the United States, the bigest plastic consumer in the world, stop using plastics which harm the health of the environment and impact low-income communities (first link). The Union of Concerned Scientists has a guide which can help you write a letter to your civic leaders about environmental issues that are important to you (second link).

Image description: A  giraffe  (Giraffa camelopardalis) looks at the camera with two birds sitting on it's long neck.

Every year, many proposals, movements and acts to support the environment are in need of support. Each of us have our own set of advantages and resources that allow us to help our communities. We can use these to speak up for plants, animals, and people whose voice may not be heard. The Environmental Defense Fund has a list of current opportunities to take action for the environment.

Image description: A family of  capybara  sit at the edge of the water.