Biodiversity and the Healthy Society

OBJECTIVES

– Determined the interrelatedness of society,

environment, and health; and
– Identified everyday tasks and evaluated whether they
contribute to the wellness, health of biodiversity and
society or not.
 Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
What is Biodiversity?

 defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth

 encompasses all kinds of life forms, from the single-celled
organisms to the largest multi-celled organisms
 “the variability among living organisms from all sources,
including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and
the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes
diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
 Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
What is Biodiversity?

 It is the source of the essential goods and ecological services

that constitute the source of life for all and it has direct
consumptive value in food, agriculture, medicine, and in
industry.” (Villaggio Globale, 2009)
 the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area, the variety of
animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria
that make up our natural world
 Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
What is Ecosystem?

 everything that exists in a particular environment (Merriam-Webster

Dictionary)
 geographic area where plants, animals and other organisms as well
as the weather and landscapes, work/interact together to form a
bubble of life (LinkedInslideshare.com)

 contains biotic (living things) and abiotic (non-living things)

 Biotic Factors – plants, animals, other living organisms
 Abiotic Factors – rocks, temperature and humidity
 Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Biodiversity enhances ecosystem productivity where species no
matter how small, all have a role to play:

 A number of plant species means greater variety of crops.

 Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life
forms.
 Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from variety
of disasters.
 Changes in Biodiversity

 Alteration in any system could bring varied effects.

 A change in biodiversity could have erratic effects not only in wildlife
or marine life but also in human beings.
 We can clearly infer that when our ecosystem is not well taken care
of, biodiversity encounters changes that may impact human health
on such different levels.
 Threats to Biodiversity
Major threats to biodiversity identified by the United Nation’s
Environment Programme (WHO, n.d.):

 Habitat loss and destruction

 Alteration in ecosystem composition
 Over-exploitation
 Pollution and contamination
 Global climate change
 Consequences of Biodiversity Loss

 The particular species making up an ecosystem determine its

productivity, affect nutrient cycles and soil contents, and influence
environmental conditions such as water, cycles, weather patterns,
climate and other non-biotic aspects.
 As stated by Tilman, “The Earth will retain its most striking feature,
its biodiversity, only if humans have the foresight to do so. This will
occur, it seems, only if we realize the extent to which we use
biodiversity (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 2017)
 Health, Biology and Biodiversity

 Almost all living organisms are dependent to their environment to

live and reproduce.
 The evolution of human beings was due to the improved access to
the basic needs.
 Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease,
asthma and many other illnesses.
 The interrelation between human health and biological diversity is
considerable and complex. With the current biodiversity loss at
unprecedented rates, the delicate balance between human health
and biological diversity is at risk.
 Biodiversity and the Healthy Society Issues

 According to experts, climate change could also have a serious

impact on human health and could deteriorate farming systems and
reduce nutrients in some foods.
 For an instance, pesticides play an important role in increasing crop
yields but they can also pose hazards to human health and the
environment.
Overview