Question 1 Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth.

The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the variety of ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species has an important role to play.

Biodiversity provides countless benefits to humans. Some of these benefits directly come in the form of goods that can be extracted and sold. These goods include everything from all the domesticated agricultural crops that form the basis of the world's food supply, to medicines that protect and cure us to the fiber that make up the clothes we wear.

Economic Values The provision of food is the most fundamental benefit that humans get from a rich source of biodiversity. Humans have always depended on animals and plants for food. We consume meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and other natural products in order to survive. Biodiversity contributes a rich source of medicine. In the field of medicine alone, approximately 50% of current prescription medicines are derived from natural substances. Wild species have been used as sources of drugs for thousands of years. The medicinal potential of plants and animals is often considered a strong reason to conserve biodiversity as some species are highly valued for their medicinal properties. From the aspect of commercial market, humans have traditionally used plant and animal products like wool and fur for clothing, and wood for building construction and fuel. Other plant and animal products used in industry include feathers, skins, glues, rubber, oils, waxes, starches and dyes. Industries based on rainforests such as forestry, fisheries, mining, pharmaceuticals and tourism provide billions of dollars to the global economy.

Ecosystem Values Biodiversity also provides critical indirect benefits to humans in the form of ecosystem services, such as air and water purification, climate regulation, protects areas from soil erosion, floods and other harmful weather conditions. Vegetation cover helps to protect soils from erosion. Woodlands and hedges provide useful windbreaks in farm areas, and the vegetation on mudflats and sand dunes can help protect coastal areas from erosion by the sea and wind. Ecosystems ensure climate change by maintaining a healthy balance of gases in the atmosphere. Trees and other plants store carbon and help prevent the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus reducing the risk of global warming. Plants absorb greenhouse gases, thus maintain proper gaseous concentrations in the atmosphere and prevent rapid climate changes.

Biodiversity also plays an important role in protecting our settlements from extreme weather. Coastal communities affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis and last years United States Gulf Coast hurricanes, for example, experienced increased devastation in large part due to the diminished mangrove forests, coral reefs, or wetlands that previously protected these areas. Biodiversity also aids in pollination and biological control. Some animals, especially birds, bats and insects perform important functions as pollinators of food plants such as vegetables and fruit, and are also often the natural enemies of weeds, pests and diseases that can harm crops. Cultural Values Other than that, biodiversity also has cultural values. Historically, some species have played an important role in the folklore and traditions of many cultures. Species may also have heritage value as national symbols: for example, in Ireland, the three leafed clover (Trifolium) symbolizes the nations identity and heritage. Indigenous

cultures sometimes recognize biodiversity's value in religious traditions based on honouring the Earth. Recreational and Aesthetic Values Biodiversity also has important recreational and aesthetic values. Biodiversity provides an aesthetic and sympathetic basis for our lives. We engage in tourism, gardening, bird watching, keeping pets, flower-arranging and many more activities which depend entirely upon biodiversity. In North America, natural and wild landscapes are aesthetically pleasing and provide opportunities to get away from human-dominated landscapes. They also provide opportunities for recreational activities such as hiking, canoeing, bird watching and nature photography. Malaysias National Policy on Biological Diversity (NPBD) Malaysian government has carried out numerous efforts to sustain the variety of biodiversities in Malaysia. On 16 April 1998, the Ministry of Science, Environment and Technology had introduced Malaysias National Policy on Biological Diversity (NPBD) to guide planning, conservation, sustainable utilisation and management of biodiversity in Malaysia. This policy aims to conserve Malaysias biological diversity and to ensure that its components are utilised in a sustainable matter for the continued progress and socialeconomic development of the nation. The vision of this policy is to transform Malaysia into a world centre of excellence in conservation, research and utilization of tropical biodiversity by the year 2020. In-situ Conservation To conserve the diversity of biological species in Malaysia, a number of in-situ measures have been initiated. Many representative natural ecological habitats have been maintained to sustain breeding populations of flora and fauna. The network of protected areas on land, as of 1992, includes 2.12 million hectares of National and State Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Turtle Sanctuaries and Wildlife Reserves. Another 3.43 million hectares of natural forest within the Permanent Forest Estate of 14.28 million hectares are protected as water catchment areas.

Ex-situ Conservation Other than in-situ conservation, ex-situ conservation is also being practiced. Exsitu conservation maintains species outside their original habitats in facilities such as arboreta, zoological gardens, seed gene banks, in vitro gene banks and field gene banks. Seed gene banks are considered safe and cost-effective for seed-producing crop species. Field and in vitro gene banks are particularly useful for species with seeds that are difficult to store. Ex-situ conservation makes it easier for scientists to access, study, distribute and use plant genetic resources. Ex-situ conservation of plants is being carried out in arboreta and small collection centres, whereas animals are being maintained in zoos, rehabilitation centres and captive breeding centres. Meanwhile, collections of specific microorganisms are deposited in universities and research institutions. Development activities in the various economic sectors have profound impacts on biological diversity. To minimize such adverse impacts and to promote the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable development of its components, it is essential that such considerations are incorporated into development plans at the planning stage itself. Biological diversity considerations are addressed in the policy to ensure effective coordination and integration. The development plans concerned are the Five-year Development Plans and the Second Outline Perspective Plan (1991-2000) which embodies the New Development Policy. Legislations In Malaysia, most of the legislation regarding environmental conservation is sector-based, for instance, the Fisheries Act 1985 deals mainly with the conservation and management of fisheries resources, the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972 deals with the protection of wildlife, and the National Forestry Act 1984 deals with the management and utilization of forests alone. Langkawi Declaration on the Environment and Development 1989 Malaysia also joined other countries in the world in supporting the efforts to sustain biodiversities. The Langkawi Declaration on the Environment and Development

of 1989 by the Heads of Government of Commonwealth countries marked a significant step in the evolution of Malaysia's prominent role in environmental issues in international level. This role was further strengthened in the negotiations leading to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Convention on Biological Diversity 1994 Malaysia had also ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity on 24th June 1994. The Convention reaffirms the sovereign rights of States over their biological resources and their responsibility for conserving their biological diversity and utilizing the biological resources in a sustainable manner. To achieve the above, Malaysia had developed national strategies regarding biodiversity conservation. The government had been asking assistance from private companies to provide financial support and incentives to their national activities to achieve the objectives of the Convention. Every year, Malaysian government will present their measures taken for the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and their effectiveness in meeting the objectives.

Common Vision on Biodiversity (2009) The Common Vision on Biodiversity (2009) aims to implement some of the strategies outlined in the NPBD especially at the ecosystem level and manages biodiversity in an holistic manner by incorporating it in planning and development process. The Common Vision promotes a three-pronged approach and outreach strategy which are strengthening the Protected Area System, landscape management for biodiversity and mainstreaming of biodiversity. The Common Vision on Biodiversity provides for government and all relevant stakeholders towards a shared perception of issues, priorities and the required integrated actions for the better management of biodiversity. It is a framework that will support the ongoing transformation of environmental planning and management from a largely sector-based to an integrated approach.

How Human Activities result in Species Extinction Extinction refers to the loss of species which occur when there are no surviving individuals elsewhere. The extinction of any species is an irreversible loss of part of the biological richness of the Earth. Direct effects such

as overexploitation, pollution and habitat destruction and indirect effects as a result of climate change have been the major reasons for species extinction. The pace of extinction has accelerated dramatically as a result of human activity. Ecosystems are being fragmented or eliminated, and innumerable species are in decline or already extinct. We are creating the greatest extinction crisis since the natural disaster that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Deforestation Deforestation results in loss of forest, main habitat for animals. Trees have been chopped down to make way for increasing infrastructure development and construction of residential areas. Forests are home for much of the known terrestrial biodiversity, but about 45 per cent of the Earth's original forests are gone, cleared mostly during the past century. Though there are efforts to replant trees, the world's total forests are still shrinking rapidly, particularly in the tropics. As more forests are chopped down, there are lesser trees to absorb carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere. The imbalance composition of air results in climate change. As global air or sea temperature changes, even by just 1 or 2 degree Celsius, the habitats in which species live will also change and may even become uninhabitable to some species. Climate change is projected to become a progressively more significant threat to biodiversity in the coming decades. In Europe, over the last forty years, the beginning of the growing season has advanced by 10 days on average. These types of changes can alter food chains Urbanization Urbanization has dramatically increased the rate of habitat loss and change. Sprawling development is consuming land at a rate of five or more times the rate of

population growth, destroying wildlife habitat and degrading water quality. Dredging, draining, bulldozing, and paving the land for housing developments, malls, business parks, and new roads destroy habitat. As a result, organisms living in the previous habitat are forced to immigrate to other areas. Some organisms may not be able to adapt to the new environment, hence it results in their death, thus reducing the size of the species.

Pollution Fragmentation of habitats has also been caused by pollution. Human activities contribute a significant amount of air, water and land pollution. The increase of motor vehicles and factories release a lot of poisonous waste into the air and water. Open burning is still practiced in many parts of the Earth as many people think that it is the easiest way to clear rubbish. Meanwhile, the burying of radioactive wastes and excessive use of chemical fertilizers has also resulted in land pollution. Pollution is the cause of death for millions of animals and plants around the world every year. The accumulation of phosphorus and nitrogen, largely from excess fertilizers running off farmland, and from sewage and other effluents, causes the build-up of algae able to benefit from the added nutrients. The algae themselves can be toxic and therefore create a health hazard, but the greatest damage to biodiversity is caused when they decompose and use up large quantities of oxygen in the water, creating dead zones where other forms of life cannot survive. The continuing release pollutants from urban and agricultural sources combined with projected growth in coastal development and agricultural intensification may lead to a multiplication of the number of dead zones. Acid rain forms when sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere. The chemicals are absorbed by water droplets in the clouds, and eventually fall to the earth as acid precipitation. Acid rain increases the acidity of the soil which affects plant life. It can also disturb rivers and lakes to a possibly lethal level.

Intensive Farming Practices Intensive farming practices also contribute to the loss of biodiversity. For example, huge areas of rainforest in South America are cleared for farming. In Ireland, upland open habitats, such as rough grassland, scrub and heath, have been changed by agriculture. Often large areas of land are planted with a single crop (monocultures) which greatly reduces the level of biodiversity in that area. Besides, extensive use and concentrations of chemical and biological pesticides are typical practices in modern-day farming. This causes the soil to be contaminated with various chemicals which is harmful to the health of soils organisms.

Over-exploitation Other than that, over-exploitation of biodiversity and wildlife trade continues to be major threats. Many species are being hunted by humans to fulfil basic needs such as food and goods. Many species are in a state of decline because they are being used at unsustainable levels or are being harvested in such a way that threatens the ecosystems on which they depend. These declines are widespread and have been reaching an alarming rate. The lack of strict law and enforcement by officials makes the problem even worse.

How Poor Management of Biodiversity Affects Biosphere Biosphere refers to part of Earth where all life exists. Ecosystem is an important concept for biosphere. This is where all of the trees, bugs, and animals live. The biosphere extends to the upper areas of the atmosphere where birds and insects can be found. It also reaches deep into the ground at a dark cave or to the bottom of the ocean. The land interacts with the water (hydrosphere), air (atmosphere and climates) and also with forces deep inside the Earth and the energy coming to the Earth from space. All of those forces work together to create our living world. The functioning of the biosphere is dependent on the combination of all existing ecosystems. Our very existence depends on this process functioning properly. Every

organism has its niche in the environment. Once it is gone, it may not be able to be replaced by any other organism. Loss of diversity can cause drastic change to the biosphere. The loss of one species may cause a chain reaction, resulting in a change to the ecosystem itself. One species may be necessary for the survival of another species. Food web depicts feeding connections (what-eats-what) in an ecological community, therefore an animal or plant is the main or only food source for another, its extinction will cause a domino effect. Other species will also die after the original one is lost. When this happens, there will be no more living things in the Earth. Human beings could no longer enjoy the benefits provided by the ecosystems. The loss of certain species, which are known as keystone species will affect the whole ecosystem, dealing a heavy blow to our already damaged biosphere. This is because these species have unusually important roles in their ecosystems. Fluctuation in their population can cause dramatic effects on the entire system. In ecosystems such as those off the coast of California there is a complex relationship between three keystone species: the sea otter, the sea urchin and the kelp itself. If any one of these organisms declines severely in population, the whole ecosystem is changed. Deforestation also contributes to the loss of biodiversity, thus affecting our biosphere. Though forest soils are moist, but without protection from sun-blocking tree cover they quickly dry out. Trees also help to perpetuate the water cycle by returning water vapour back into the atmosphere. Trees also ground the water in their roots and releasing it into the atmosphere. In the Amazon, more than half the water in the ecosystem is held within the plants. Without trees to fill these roles, many former forest lands can quickly become barren deserts. When this happens, the soil is no longer suitable for farming. This will further reduces the amount of land available for agriculture, thus worsens the food crisis, causing more people to starve. Climate change also occurs with the loss of biodiversity. This is because trees play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. When trees absorb these greenhouse gases, it releases oxygen that will cool down the Earth.

According to United States Department of Agriculture, the net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. Therefore, fewer forests mean larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. When this happens, the speed and severity of global warming will be increased, causing climate change that will lead to further loss of biodiversity and also numerous disasters such as drought, monsoon rain and hurricane. Conclusion In fact, the uninterrupted continuation of Earth's natural life support systems is crucial to both the success of the world's economy and the health of the human species. These are services that humans cannot replicate through any amount of machinery or ingenuity. Therefore, we humans play a crucial role in maintaining our biodiversity. Environmental awareness need to be integrated into the primary schools curriculum to increase the childrens awareness on the importance of maintaining biodiversity. This is important so that the children can pick up this good habit since young, thus becoming an environment-concerned citizen in the future. Besides, the efforts to maintain biodiversity should be carried on forever so that our environment will continue to be green.