Life Lance

International Day for Biological Diversity 2023

In recent years, in the name of development, plant and animal species are rapidly disappearing due to human activities. What are the causes and why is biodiversity important? Biodiversity, or the diversity of all living things on our planet, has been declining at an alarming rate in recent years, with biodiversity traditionally defined as the diversity of all forms of life on Earth. It includes all animals, birds, insects, and plants. , including their genetic diversity and the interactions of these life forms in complex ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems provide us with many of the needs we take for granted. Plants convert energy from the sun and make it available to other life forms. Bacteria and other organisms break down organic matter into nutrients. Plants are provided to grow with healthy soil. Pollinators are essential in plant reproduction, ensuring our food production. Plants and oceans act as major carbon sinks. It is important in the diversity of life on Earth, in all its forms, and in all its interactions. Biodiversity is one of the most complex and important features of our planet. “Without biodiversity, humanity has no future,” says Oxford University Professor David MacDonald.

Ecosystem services provide a wide range of benefits to humans. They are natural processes provided by healthy ecosystems. Ecosystem services include the benefits of pollination provided by animals or natural processes that recycle nutrients to support fertile soil formation that allows for higher crop yields. For example, ecotourism generates money through the aesthetic value of nature and improves people’s mental health. Processing and long-range transport separate products from their source, so we must not forget that rampant environmental destruction and loss of biodiversity are unsustainable if humans are to survive. As COVID-19 has shown the world, what we now take for granted can disappear one day and the next.

Biodiversity and these ecosystem services can be lost through human activities such as land use changes, and because these services are often not assigned a direct economic value, they can be degraded to produce short-term economic benefits. Degrading these services through loss of biodiversity leads to an unsustainable economy. Halting biodiversity loss is essential to prevent global economic collapse and prevent tensions and conflicts within society. The absence of pollinators here has resulted in the destruction of pollinator habitats and the overuse of pesticides that are toxic to insect pollinators, leaving workers in some areas armed with paintbrushes and pollen pots and pollinating each flower by hand. This increases labor costs. Human health, especially the risk of exposure to many infectious diseases, depends on the maintenance of biodiversity in natural ecosystems. On the one hand, a greater diversity of wildlife species is expected to sustain a greater diversity of pathogens that infect humans.

Agriculture is sensitive, with just nine plant species now accounting for two-thirds of global crop production, agriculture itself is a major driver of biodiversity loss, pesticides, soil erosion, and deforestation, which destroy habitats and huge wildlife populations. And in addition to its effect on food systems, the destruction of Earth’s soil reduces its ability to retain water, hitting humans by increasing water stress and the frequency of floods. Continued loss of forests and destruction of watersheds reduces the quality and availability of water supplies for domestic use and agriculture. The effects of human activity on nature are exacerbated by climate change, which is exacerbated by damage to ecosystems such as the loss of forests that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. Biodiversity is fundamental to the health of the planet and has a direct impact on all of our lives. Simply put, reduced biodiversity means millions of people will suffer in the future. This is a concern for humans when food supplies, pests, and diseases are more vulnerable and clean irrigation is unavailable or scarce.

Loss of biodiversity affects health. Biodiversity changes affect ecosystem functioning, and significant disruptions of ecosystems can result in life-enriched ecosystem goods and services. Loss of biodiversity means we are losing many of nature’s chemicals and genes that, before we discovered them, already provided enormous health benefits to humanity. Analyzing our relationship with nature, a reality emerges that we cannot ignore. No matter how advanced science is, we are totally dependent on healthy diverse ecosystems to provide us with water, food, medicines, clothing, fuel, shelter, and energy. It is difficult to imagine what will happen if these basic needs disappear.

 Earth is experiencing more dramatic change due to human activity. Changes in climate are reversible, even if they take centuries or millennia. But once a species goes extinct, biodiversity affects everyone to varying degrees. People living in poverty depend heavily on nature to provide them with resources to survive. Chopping wood is a common activity of the poor in third-world countries. This is a huge problem in many developing countries because it is destroying natural habitats, yet it is the only way for people to earn enough money to support their families.

Man is insignificant in front of nature and its creation.

Birds are the most beautiful creatures on this earth! They are pretty amazing. Bird migration is as fascinating as birds. How they find their way back and forth across the world is a matter of curiosity. There are many wonders in this nature. For many years, the Earth’s magnetic field has been suspected as one of several navigational clues. Birds migrate thousands of miles without GPS, using the Earth’s magnetic field to orient themselves. How they were able to do this has long been a mystery, but now, scientists have discovered the key reason behind it. A molecule in the eye is sensitive to magnetism and gives birds a working internal compass. Every spring and fall, millions of birds unfold a spectacle in the night sky in a long effort. Every year, billions of songbirds migrate thousands of miles between Europe and Africa – and then repeat the same journey year after year, to nest in the same place they chose on their first great journey. Many of the thousands of bird species involved in this annual migration travel at night, when the wind currents soften and the moon and stars guide their path. India is the winter home for most Siberian birds such as Siberian cranes, greater flamingos, and demos cranes, as well as several species of birds from other regions of the world. These beautiful birds migrate to India every year during the winter and summer seasons for feeding, breeding, and nesting.

Migratory birds fly hundreds and even thousands of kilometers in search of better environmental conditions and habitats to feed,

Why Do Birds Migrate?

Birds migrate from areas of low resources to areas of high or increasing resources. Birds that nest in the Northern Hemisphere migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of growing insect populations, budding plants, and abundant nesting sites. As winter approaches and insects and other foods become available, the birds move south again. Escape from the cold is the most motivating factor, but many species, including hummingbirds, can withstand freezing temperatures as long as an adequate food supply is available. Movement between habitats of some migratory birds and mammals can sometimes exceed thousands of miles/kilometers. Birds can reach higher altitudes as they migrate.
Migration is extremely dangerous for birds, and many never return to their starting point. Sometimes natural events such as harsh weather play a role, but many times, human activities are responsible for the premature death of birds.

Flightless birds also migrate. Emus, large Australian birds, travel miles on foot to find food, and many populations of penguins migrate by swimming.

Many bird species breed and successfully raise their young only under certain environmental conditions. Whether they require certain temperatures, the presence of specific food and nesting materials, or a general location, birds are incredibly sensitive to these conditions.

The migration route involves nesting and requires the availability of habitats before and after each migration. Migratory birds fly hundreds and even thousands of kilometers in search of better environmental conditions and habitats to feed, reproduce and raise their young. When conditions are unfavorable for breeding, it is time to fly to areas where conditions are better. Birds depend on a habitat that provides enough food to nest and raise young, but because of habitat, food availability, and climate change with the seasons, birds must move from place to place to survive and thrive. A migratory bird’s stimulus is hormonal, the change in natural sunlight triggers hormones that cause them to become restless, gather in flocks, and eat more food to store up for the long journey ahead.

For all birds, one of the main driving forces behind migration is the lack of food. If all birds were to remain in the same rich, tropical areas year-round, food would be scarce and breeding would be less successful with malnourished parents and hungry young. But as food sources regenerate in northern regions each spring, millions of birds migrate to those regions to take advantage of the abundance. As food supplies dwindle in the fall, birds return to tropical areas.

How Do Birds Navigate?

Migratory birds can cover thousands of miles on their annual journey, usually traveling the same course year after year with little deviation. First-year birds often make their first migration on their own. Somehow they may find their winter home, even if they have never seen it before, and return to the place of their birth the following spring. The secrets of birds’ amazing navigational skills are not fully understood because they integrate different types of senses while navigating. Birds can get compass information from the sun and stars and by sensing the Earth’s magnetic field. They also get information from the position of the sunset and landmarks seen during the day.

There is evidence that the sense of smell plays a role in pigeons. Waterfowl and cranes follow preferred routes in their annual migration. These routes are often associated with important stopovers that provide critical food supplies for the birds’ survival. Small birds migrate across the landscape on wide fronts. It’s not hard to imagine finding your way by following a river, the North Star, or a nose. Ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field. From this mapping process are visual markers, specific sounds, distinct smells, and inherent social cues. This ability of birds is commonly known as piloting.

Birds are a wonderful creation of this nature. Flying thousands of kilometers without any GPS is amazing. Birds create a mental map of their migration patterns by relying on large-scale environmental cues. So the bird observes the mountain range and not just the tree. Young birds get some map ‘in-built’, meaning it is genetically coded, and then their parents help them with practice runs before long journeys. Another method is recommended for birds traveling over large bodies of water or land without obvious symptoms due to rain or snow. Some things never change, and the most constant of them is the orientation of the sun and stars. Scientists have concluded that some species of birds use sky navigation similar to that used by sailors and explorers and find their way through challenging weather rather than looking down. The concept of vision-based magnetoreception suggests that birds can see the heat-generated contours of magnetic fields and orient themselves in the direction of the field they wish to travel. Man is insignificant in front of nature and its creation.

Forests and trees regulate temperatures across urban to rural landscapes. This reduces the amount of energy required and emits carbon to cool indoor spaces.

Climate change is the most pressing issue and theory of this age. Sudden and drastic changes are occurring on Earth and the future survival of mankind is becoming questionable. Forests play an important role in controlling climate change. Emphasizes the role of trees in harming this earth’s climate, whether they are medicinal trees or economically important trees. Due to severe deforestation, the climate is being affected dangerously. The global warming phenomenon is occurring due to the low availability of trees and the high carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Quickly and significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Atmosphere i.e. forests are essential to limit global warming. Trees and forest ecosystems help limit global warming by reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with simultaneous ‘co-benefits’ for biodiversity, local economies, human health, and leisure. Wherever possible, existing native ecosystems such as savannas, grasslands, and forests should be protected, and damaged or destroyed ecosystems should be restored. Forests cover one-third of the Earth’s land area, perform vital functions and support the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people. Besides, doesn’t it mean that forests are very important for this land?

Trees capture Carbon dioxide because trees absorb carbon dioxide
Photosynthesis releases oxygen back into the atmosphere
and sequesters carbon. Trees and forest ecosystems help limit global warming by reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with simultaneous ‘co-benefits’ for biodiversity, local economies, human health, and leisure. To create healthy ecosystems and effectively capture carbon, reforestation projects must do more than put trees in the soil.

Insects and diseases that damage the forest are more likely to occur as a result of climate change. Harmful organisms are favored, while at the same time, trees are weakened. Insects are poikilothermic, their metabolic rate depends on the temperature of the environment, they develop faster at higher temperatures and are therefore less susceptible to their enemies such as predators and parasites. Some species can have multiple generations per year under warmer conditions and therefore increase in numbers considerably. At the same time, the resistance of trees against herbivorous insects such as bark beetles decreases after persistence.

Plants use some of the carbohydrates they make through respiration. It’s the same process humans use when we convert the food we eat into energy; Like people, plants give off some carbon dioxide when they breathe. On average, plants emit half of the carbon dioxide and store the rest as biomass in their bodies. Trees can store more carbon in their bodies and hold it longer than most plants because they are larger and denser. Forests help slow the rate of climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it. This is a direct consequence, as the primary driver of climate change is the excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Forests also provide indirect effects that reduce the effects of climate change on Earth.

Forest conservation is another important factor in fighting global warming. This means keeping existing forests intact to reduce deforestation. In addition to helping to capture carbon emissions, forest conservation can add benefits to local soils, wildlife, and local communities. Many harmful pollutants are associated with climate change, and healthy forests remove them from the air. Forests add oxygen to the air.

Trees are the ultimate carbon capture and storage machines. As a large carbon sink, forests and woodlands absorb atmospheric carbon and lock it away for centuries. They do this through photosynthesis. And trees do more than just capture carbon. Forests and trees regulate temperatures across urban to rural landscapes. This reduces the amount of energy required and emits carbon to cool indoor spaces. Healthy functioning forests help absorb rainwater and slow its movement over it, which is critical for maintaining soil integrity, protecting water quality, and reducing the severity of floods.

Read ; https://lifelance.in/birds-and-animals-in-indian-culture/

The forest also fights against the brutal effects of a changing climate. They can help trees fight the brutal effects of a changing climate. They can help prevent flooding, reduce urban temperatures, reduce pollution, and keep soil nutrient-rich. Forestry and climate change are closely intertwined. Forests have controlled Earth’s climate, rainfall, groundwater, and soil for millennia. Their transpiration acts as a regulator of the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide: the world’s forests and forest soils currently store more than a trillion tons of carbon.

Lastwords.

Forests are home to countless species and all of them have intrinsic value to society. Some have functional value, and will probably become more important as climate change continues. Animals, birds, and humans cannot survive without forests. If there is no forest, the earth will be ruined! We are already feeling the effects and if we don’t wake up, the planet will become uninhabitable.