There are a number of reasons to conserve the biodiversity.
The reasons can be grouped into:
(a) Narrowly utilitarian.
(b) Broadly utilitarian.
(c) Ethical Method.
(a) Narrowly utilitarian: Human derive countless direct economic benefits from nature like – food (eg. – cereals, pulses, fruits), firewood, fibre, construction material, industrial products (tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, perfumes) and products of medicinal importance. More than 25 percent of the drugs currently sold in the market world wide are derived from plants and 25,000 species of plants contribute to the traditional medicines used by native peoples around the world. Yet more medicinally useful plants in tropical rain forests waiting to be explored. With increasing resources put into exploring molecular, genetic and species-level diversity for products of economic importance and nations endowed with rich biodiversity can expect to reap enormous benefits.
(b) Broadly utilitarian: This argument says that biodiversity plays a major role in many ecosystem services that nature provides. The fast dwindling forest is estimated to produce, through photo synthesis, 20 percent of the total oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere. Pollination is another service that ecosystem provide through pollinators. These are other intangible benefits that we derive from nature the aesthetic pleasures of walking through thick woods, watching spring flowers etc.
(c) Ethical: Ethical argument for conserving biodiversity relates to what we are to millions of plant, animal and microbe species with whom we share this planet. Philosophically and spiritually, we need to realise that every species has an intrinsic value, even if it may not be of current or any economic value to us. We have moral duty to care for their well being and pass on our biological legacy in good order to future generations.
