bio-divesity

biodiversity

Bio -technology reliance

The  fast  decade bio technological advances in medicine human insulin ,brine and human growth   harmones,interferon have raised expectations that bio-tech vaccines and drugs will soon be developed to fight malaria ,yellow and typhoid feveres,hepatitis, leprosy ,schistosomiasis, herpes and dysentery. Gain  are also expected in agriculture such as more diseases resistant food strains and crops with their own natural pesticides. Non of these possible without bio-diversity .

As bio-technologies emerge from laboratory there is growing need for bio-safety. Genetically  engineered organism could act as “ alien invades “  destroying   their environments unless production and release are strictly  controlled . As so by breeding higher yields, scientists narrow genetic base food crops, often scarifying pest and disease resistance process. Half the Canadian prairies are planted with just one variety of wheat , and entire soybean  industry of U.S. is based on six plants with origin in one Asia region.

Two thirds of all existing species are found in developing countries, but it is private corporations in the industrial nations which the bio-technical tools to exploit these genetic resources. Already  there is fierce  competition among companies in Europe,U.S.and Japan for this bi-technology  industry. Profits will go  to those holding patents and  governments that make these  patents possible.

What biodiversity ?

Bio -diversity is variability  among living organisms from all sources ,including  terrestrial ,marine and other  aquatic eco-systems and ecological complexes of which they are part, this includes bio-diversity within species between  species and of eco-system.

Bio -diversity is variety world organisms, including their genetic make up and communities they form. Bio -diversity is dynamic the genetic composition of species changes overtime in  response to natural and human induced selection pressures ,the occurrence and relative abundance  of species in ecological communities as  a result of ecological and physical factors.

The total number on species on earth estimated at between  13 and 14 million of which only 1.85 million have been described. Groups  of inter breeding individual within species from distinct population. Groups such as plants,birds,mammals,fishes,reptiles  and amphibians.

The species with which we are most familiar account for only 3 percent of estimated total, while majority of species belong to groups such as insects,arachnides ,fungi,mematodes and micro organisms.

Individuals of species provide basis for genetic differences between the species. Molecular studies have revealed a wealth of genetic variability in the most species.

The global bio-diversity  assessment (GBA) is an independent  critical-peer reviewed scientific analysis of current issues, theories and views regarding main aspects of bio-diversity. It provides an analysis of wide range of bio-logical and social science issues related to bio-diversity.

The  world conservation monitoring centre(WCMC0 has published a list of what lives where, and  of those places with richest biological diversity. This information is vital for conservation of world’s  future bio-diversity.

The nations of the world are currently discussing with drafting of conservation on earth’s bio-logical diversity. The convention aims to conserve innumerable  species of plants, and animals  which have evolved over million of years, and their biological pattern.

United nation declared 2010 as international year of bio-diversity.

Business and industry

A wide  range  of individual material derived directly from biological resources including building materials ,fibers, dyes ,rubber and oil. Bio- diversity is also important to the security of resources such as water quality,timber,paper fiber food and medicinal resources.

Human and health

Bio-diversity -relevance to human health is becoming an international political issue as scientific evidence build global health implications of bio-diversity loss. The issue closely linked with issue of climate change, as may as anticipated health risks of climate change are associated with changes in bio-diversity, including distribution of diseases ,scarcity of water, impact on crop failure. Some of health issues influenced by bio-diversity include dietary health and nutrition security  infectious diseases, medical science  and medicinal resources, social psychologically health. Bio-diversity is also known to have an important role in reducing risk, and post disaster relief and recovery effect.

Prevailing scientific opinion to that the next few decades will be a period of maximum danger for species and ecosystems around world. It has been predicted that at least 10 and possibly 40 per cent of world species are likely to be extinct within 50 years although there is significant uncertainty in the calculations on which estimates based. By acting now, the world community  can help to minimize the eventual scale of species loss, by taking action. 

Genetic erosion the decline and extinction  of species and degradation of eco-system will reduce the ability of bio-diversity  to support national development and sustain future human well being at global levels. The well being of current the future generations of people in all countries would therefore best be served if these processes were kept to minimum level in next two decades.