6977-47.

2-2CYP AID: 203098 |

26/09/2019

When we try to observe surroundings, we find different kinds of organisms which vary in
size, form and habitat, behavior, etc. This variation of life at various level of biological
organization is termed as Biodiversity.
Biodiversity exists not only at species level but also at the levels of biological
organization ranging from macromolecules within the cells to Biomes.
The term biodiversity was popularized by socio-biologist named Edward Wilson to
describe the combined diversity at all levels of biological organization. He concluded that
biodiversity exists manly at three levels such as Genetic diversity, Species diversity and
ecological diversity.
Genetic diversity exists within the species which possess higher level of diversity at
genetic level over a wide distributional range. Species diversity occurs at the species level
and Ecological diversity occurs at higher level of organization, i.e., at the ecosystem
level.
Biodiversity is beneficial to human beings as it plays an important role at various level of
development and holds many direct and indirect values of its own.

Direct values of biodiversity: The direct values include the consumptive use and
productive use values. The consumptive use value is the value placed on nature’s
products that are consumed directly. Some of the examples for Direct values of
biodiversity includes:
Human beings derive countless benefits from nature as biodiversity is a reservoir of
resources. Food such as cereals, pulses and fruits, fire wood, fibres, construction material,
industrial products such as tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, perfumes, rubber, latex, cork,
etc.
Besides this it also provide wide range of products of medicinal importance like
Vinblasin from vinca rosea which is used as an anti-cancer drug and Digitalis from
Foxglove plant which are used to treat certain cardiac problems. Bio prospecting nations
endowed with rich biodiversity can expect to reap enormous benefits which are direct.
Indirect values of biodiversity: It deals primarily with the functions of ecosystems, are
not normally reflected in national economic systems but they far outweigh direct values.
These values tend to reflect the value of biological diversity to society at large rather than
to individuals or corporate entities. Biodiversity plays a major role in many ecosystems
services that nature provides, for which we cannot provide a price tag. Some of the main
example to define the indirect values of biodiversity are as follows
Amazon rain forest produces 20% of the total oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere.
Pollination by pollinating agents such as bees, birds, bats etc., without which plants do
not produce fruits and seeds. There are other benefits also the ones which cannot be
measured in terms of money, like aesthetic pleasure derived by taking walk in the woods.
Occurrence of high densities of birds in a certain area may limit the abundance of pests
which would otherwise destroy crops; the birds themselves require a natural forest for
nesting. So therefore, indirect values include non-consumptive use value, option value
and existence value.