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What
is biodiversity?
Biodiversity
means the rich variety of life forms in nature. Countless plants, mammals,
insects, birds, fish and reptiles contribute to the diversity and the
beauty of our planet. All animals and plants are important, because each
species forms part of nature's biological life-cycle on which all life
depends. Most of the Earth is covered by water and the bottom of the sea
contains millions of species, most of which have not yet been identified.
For
millions of years, plants and animals have evolved and developed into
what they are now today. They have survived all these years without the
threat of extinction. Unfortunately, many of them are now endangered because
of human activities.
Why
biodiversity is important:
All
beings form part of an ecosystem and play an important role in maintaining
life on Earth. For example, Eagles depend on Mice, Frogs and other small
animals for survival and once these become extinct the eagles will also
die.
Apart
from being the most important source of food for humans and animals alike,
plants are used as medicine by more than 60% of the world's population.
Many plants are also
of value to industries, where they are used to make dyes, oils, etc.
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