Climate change and how it's affecting biodiversity

Have you even wondered if biodiversity is important?  Does it really matter if there aren’t so many species of flora and fauna?

Imagine you want to buy a new shoe. You go to the store with no particular kind of shoe in mind. You want to browse through the brand, composition, color and style of the shoe. But to your surprise and horror, you find out that the store only has one kind of shoe, a black one. You are left with no choice, no option. Either you take it or leave it. You struggle with the thought. Finally, you give in. YOU COME HOME WITH THE BLACK SHOE.

Now ask yourself, did it matter what type of shoe you got? Wouldn’t it be nicer to have variety, a wide array of choices?  

So, what’s it got to do with biodiversity?

Well, its quite plane and simple, its better to have diversity in species than just few species altogether. Different species have their own quality to offer to the ecosystem.  Each species irrespective of its size, all have a significant role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability of all life forms.

However, it is easier said than done. The linkage between climate change and biodiversity is not something new. Planet Earth has always experienced climatic change but not as rapid as seen in the past few decades. Rapid climate change is disturbing the ecosystem, in turn affecting the species ability to adapt. All this points out to one simple thing, biodiversity loss is escalating. 

How will this affect us (humans)?

The rapid climate change and biodiversity loss risks human security. The food chain upon which we so highly depend is affected, change in water resources, medicines on which we rely on may be tougher to acquire as the plants they are extracted from may be scarce. Whatever species we knew existed might not exist.
Thus, the adverse effect of climate change on biodiversity might be a humongous price to pay. It pretty much grabs us (humans) by the ear and shakes our whole existence.

Annika Rai Newahang