Guest guest Posted January 13, 2004 Report Share Posted January 13, 2004 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/1/13/features/7040139 & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday January 13, 2004 The sum of all parts By DR LOH CHI LEONG Our well-being and quality of life hinge on the world & #8217;s biological diversity & #8211; that vast variety of living things on Earth and the complex relationships between them. It is estimated that half of all the species on the planet is found in tropical rainforests which are shrinking at an alarming rate. Today, the threat to gene pools and ecosystems has never been greater. IN A world that is increasingly remote from nature and fascinated with the wonders of technology and computers, it is easy to forget that our lives still depend on nature & #8217;s richness. Whether it is the clean water or air from a healthy rainforest, the disease-resistant variety of wild padi that may become an important food source, the cure for cancer or AIDS waiting to be discovered, or the bacteria that helps clean up oil spills, we depend on biological diversity. What is biological diversity? Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the vast variety of living things on Earth and the complex interactions between them. A more scientific or technical approach would describe biological diversity as referring to genetic, species and ecosystem variety. Genetic variety is the variety encoded within the genes of any one species. As individuals, we are all unique; our genetic uniqueness provides us with an advantage in certain aspects. This is why some of us are physically gifted with sufficient height to be basketball players, while those with slight build may be better off as jockeys. The genetic variety within the human population enables us to be stronger and achieve more collectively. For example, some of us are more capable of living at high altitudes. This has allowed humans to colonise remote mountainous areas. Others have the physiology that makes them more resistant to certain diseases which again helps them to live in certain tropical areas. The different breeds of cats and of dogs are also due to this genetic variation within a species. Each breed has certain advantages that enable it to perform specific tasks better. Species diversity refers to the different types of animals, plants and micro-organisms that inhabit the Earth. There is an estimated 1.75 million known species worldwide, while another three million to 100 million species are probably yet to be discovered. That, really, is a lot of diversity. Life on Earth does not survive in isolation but in ecosystems where there are complex inter-relations and dependence between individual species of plants and animals. Some-times the loss of one single species from the ecosystem can start off a chain reaction of events that may damage the ecosystem as a whole and lead to further loss of species. Lowland rainforests, montane forests, coral reefs, mangrove forests and grasslands are all examples of the ecosystem diversity found on Earth. Biodiversity in action The interaction of genetic, species and ecosystem diversity is very complex and, for the most part, still not fully understood. However, the value of these interactions can actually be demonstrated if we interfere with this complex system. Take durians, for example. If this king of fruits were to disappear, it would be a disaster for many of us. Yet for us to enjoy this fruit, we must thank a particular species of bat (Eonycleris spelaed). This bat is an important pollinator of the durian and another pungent local delicacy, the petai. The bat in turn feeds on the nectar of the flowers of these trees. However, these trees only flower seasonally and the bat has to seek food elsewhere when they are not flowering. One important alternative source of nectar for the bat is the flower of the Sonneratia. This is a mangrove tree which is generally considered to be a commercially unimportant species. At one time, these bats were hunted as pests and sometimes for food. In the 1970s, their population suffered from active hunting. We did not understand at that time that this would also affect the durian and petai crops. The bat is being threatened again by the widespread clearing of Sonneratia mangroves. It is important then to make sure that this little bat is protected. Why does biodiversity matter? Despite its importance, biological diversity is being threatened globally. Some ecosystems and habitats have shrunk considerably and are damaged. Species are disappearing at a rate of three per hour. The populations of other species are so depleted or affected by pollution that their genetic diversity has also been reduced, with genetic weaknesses becoming increasingly apparent. For many, philosophical and even religious arguments are sufficient to convince us of the intrinsic value of each species and our moral responsibility to protect it. Others see value only in terms of benefit to man or to his environment. This human-centric view sees no value in pests like mosquitoes. Here, it is again important to remember the complex interaction of species within an ecosystem. Something as lowly as bacteria may be important in maintaining the nutrient cycle for the whole forest. Given our limited knowledge, we should not dismiss any species as irrelevant or unimportant. From the blood-sucking leech, we now have anti-coagulant drugs used in treating heart disease. Even the dreaded smallpox virus is now being modified and used in vaccine production and gene therapy. The Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) was once cut down by the millions as trash wood that was just “in the way” of harvesting good timber trees. Today, the highly effective cancer drug Taxol is derived from the bark of the tree. This discovery could be said to have been made just in time as there are so few Pacific yew left. Biological diversity is the source of much economic benefit for the entire world, both historically and currently. Even for industrialised nations, much of the manufacturing sector is dependent on natural resources. Historically, we can see how the Industrial Revolution brought wealth to countries like England but this was dependent on wool and cotton as resources for the profitable mercantile business. Today, timber, agriculture and fisheries are still major contributors to many national economies, including Malaysia & #8217;s. Our country & #8217;s impressive development and growth has been due to the use of biological resources such as rubber and oil palm, by other parts of the world. What remains unclear is which will be the next superstar commercial biological resource. The unexploited riches include local fruits, genetic materials, traditional medicines, biotechnology and floriculture. Food security Food is a basic necessity. Progress is meaningless if we cannot provide food security. We can again look at history and see that the growth of many civilisations was due to the abundance of food. Similarly many civilisations failed when they could not sustain food production. It is believed that many Mayan cities were abandoned when food production failed. Protecting biological diversity is important to food security. It is in the forests and other habitats that we will find beneficial organisms, biological pest controls, pollinations and potential undeveloped food sources. For many staple food crops such as rice, resistance to diseases lies with the wild species which are an important resource to improve our domesticated strains. Biodiversity is also important for environmental stability. Because of the complexity of the environment, it is difficult to monitor fully the benefits biodiversity provides in maintaining the hydrological cycle, water filtration, soil stabilisation, nutrient recycling, provision of energy, uptake of carbon dioxide and replenishment of oxygen. Yet these are all important functions which keep the world going round. Water is a good example of a natural resource that we cannot live without. Natural habitats and ecosystems provide us with clean potable water. Without these services, there will be air pollution, water degradation, erosion, landslips, and loss of fertile soil. These problems threaten our life and health. They have an impact on economies and businesses. Malaysia and many countries in South-East Asia are also painfully aware that poor air quality such as haze due to forest burnings can cause health problems and chalk up economic costs as a result of the drop in tourist trade and agricultural production, and illnesses. Biodiversity superstar Malaysia is one of the 12 mega-biodiversity countries in the world with at least 15,000 species of flowering plants, 286 species of mammals, 150,000 species of invertebrates, and 4,000 marine fishes. This is a record to be proud of but with this pride also comes responsibility as outlined in the Convention on Biological Diversity of which Malaysia is a signatory. In line with this, the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry commissioned a study on the state of biodiversity in Malaysia. The Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia and the Malaysian Nature Society collaborated on the report. This was then summarised in a report, Assessment of Biological Diversity in Malaysia 1997. Based on these documents and studies, the National Policy on Biological Diversity was drafted and launched in April 1998. The national policy is a move in the right direction to reverse the loss of habitat and species. However, its success depends on the principles and action plan of the policy being put into practice and given priority in the strategic and working plans of government departments and agencies. Non-governmental organisations and local communities must also get involved in the effort. As individuals, we can do our part by lessening our demands on our environment by reducing, reusing and recycling. We can choose not to buy products from endangered plants and animals, such as turtle eggs and rhinoceros horns. We can promote the planting of native plants and dispose of non-native plants properly so that they do not spread and become a threat to local species. We can protest against pollution and over-exploitation of natural resources. Most important of all, we can spread the message of the importance of biological diversity. Dr Loh Chi Leong is executive director of the Malaysian Nature Society. <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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