Abril, Kim Rohn BS ChE-2 CHEA 2203 Group 1

20102915

REFLECTION PAPER

A. See some guide questions below.

 How is Food Chain affected by the loss of Biodiversity?
 What would be the impact on Environmental Sustainability considering the
interdependency of Food Chain and Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the web of life. Families, communities, and future generations rely on
this biological variety. It is the glue that holds all life on Earth together; tying them in an
interdependent ecosystem in which each species plays a function.   Biodiversity is crucial for the
health of an ecosystem. It provides functioning of ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and
water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services.
However, many of the plant, animal, and microbe species that comprise the Earth's biosphere are
declining. This phenomenon is referred to as biodiversity loss.

Human pressure and climate change both have an effect on biodiversity, and the current
pace of biodiversity loss is probably greater than at any previous time. Biodiversity loss reduces an
ecosystem's productivity and services. The decline in natural plant and animal species poses a
serious danger to the world's ability to feed an expanding population. This led a huge detriment to
food chain in various ecosystems may it be terrestrial or marine. Food chain is simply defined as a
series of organisms that depend on each other as sources of food. If something negative happens to
biodiversity, the food chain is subsequently affected and vice-versa. This shows how interdependent
the terms biodiversity and food chain to each other. Biodiversity and food chain would both possibly
be put at stake without environmental sustainability.

Combating biodiversity loss is inextricably linked to the conservation issues raised by the
underlying causes. These issues may be addressed by a combination of public policy and economic
solutions, complemented by ongoing monitoring and education. Governments, nongovernmental
organizations, and the scientific community must collaborate to create incentives for the
conservation and preservation of natural habitats and the protection of the species that inhabit
them from unwarranted harvesting, while simultaneously discouraging behaviour that contributes to
habitat loss and degradation. When developing additional farmland and human living places,
sustainable development- an economic planning that promotes expansion while protecting
environmental quality, must be addressed. Furthermore, poaching laws and laws against the
indiscriminate trade in wildlife must be strengthened and enforced to prevent extinction of various
species. With all of these actions, a higher level of biodiversity would be generated in an
environment that would contribute wider range of genes and organisms. The ecosystem is better
equipped to carry out natural processes in the face of external stress because it has a wide range of
genes and species. As a result, the environment is more sustainable. In simple words, environmental
sustainability is proportional to a well-conditioned and productive biodiversity and food chain in an
ecosystem.

Overall, biodiversity loss jeopardizes ecosystems' capacity to operate effectively and

efficiently, hence undermining nature's ability to provide a healthy environment. Continuous
environmental sustainability is the key to earn positive impact from ecosystem and biodiversity.
B. How_to_become_a_responsible plantito/plantita?

At the peak of the pandemic, the term “plantito/plantita” was rampantly used since some
people were fond of collecting different species of plants amid home quarantine. Social media like
Facebook and Instagram were flooded with posts flexing herbal/ornamental plants they collected.
Some used to grow more plants and sell it online for economic gain.

My grandmother is also a plantita and it caused me to love plants too. She taught me how to
become a responsible plantito by giving me points to inculcate. The prime thing to do is to know
what kind your plants are to raise them well. Properly situate plants on places that are appropriate
for them (those that need direct sunlight exposure and those that need minimal exposure). Don’t
forget to water them daily. Cutting dead leaves and dormant stems may help prevent your plant
from dying. Utilizing organic fertilizers like animal manure, charcoal, sawdust, etc. would be cost
effective. When purchasing or asking for a new species of plant, make sure it is not endangered nor
threatened. If so, kindly talk to the seller to hand the plant to the authority to preserve it, otherwise
report if he continues to violate. Lastly, treat your plant like your friend because they have life too!

Furthermore, plants have been demonstrated in studies to improve the mood, productivity,
focus, and creativity of their plantitos/plantitas. Additionally, plants aid in the reduction of stress,
weariness, sore throats, and colds. By absorbing pollutants, raising humidity, and creating oxygen, it
purifies the interior air (according_to_NASA_on_their_Clean_Air_Study).

There are no small steps in attempt to care for the environment. It depends on how we take
steps on doing it. All actions are considered as significant, like planting trees and being a
plantita/plantito.

C. Energy Flow
 Can energy be recycled in an ecosystem?
 Cite examples to justify your answers to the question.

Food chains demonstrate the flow of energy through organisms, whereas food webs
demonstrate the interconnection of food chains. The sun is the origin of all food webs. In general,
plants use solar energy to produce their own sustenance. Other animals then consume the plants in
order to convert the plant's nourishment to their own. In effect, the sun's energy initiates energy
transmission throughout the food web. Is it possible to recycle this energy inside an ecosystem?

The answer to the above question is no. Energy transmission throughout an ecosystem is
complex. While producers produce their own food, higher species must consume plants or other
animals in order to survive. For instance, plants(producer) provide energy, herbivores consume
plants, and predators consume herbivores. Due to the fact that they devour other species, these
organisms are referred to as consumers. Without the producers' work to convert sunlight to food,
the producers would die, and the consumers who depend on them would also starve to death.
When an animal dies, microorganisms recycle its physical materials into the soil and environment for
future plant use. However, at this time, the physical substance may have been consumed by a
number of organisms, maybe as many as possible. All of the energy generated by the original plant
has been consumed, reduced, or converted to heat, leaving nothing for recycling.
 Thus, energy in the ecosystem cannot be recycled. Each ecosystem requires a continuous
input of energy to sustain it.

References

https://lisbdnet.com/how-does-biodiversity-affect-the-sustainability-of-an-ecosystem/

https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/causes-and-consequences-of-biodiversity-
declines-16132475/

https://sciencing.com/cant-ecosystems-energy-recycled-7506037.html

https://www.audible.com/pd/How-to-be-a-Responsible-Plantito-Plantita-Podcast/B08TGKNT44

https://www.britannica.com/science/biodiversity-loss/Ecological-effects

https://app.croneri.co.uk/feature-articles/biodiversity-loss-and-threat-food-production#:~:text=The
%20decline%20in%20natural%20plant,food%20for%20a%20growing%20population.&text=
%E2%80%9CCompounded%20by%20our%20reliance%20on,security%20and%20nutrition%20at
%20risk.%E2%80%9D

https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/biodiversity/biodiversity_and_you/