3 reasons why we should preserve biodiversity
by Michael Watson (comments: 0
What do the Amazon rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and a handful of Brandenburg farmland have in common? They are all home to millions and millions of creatures! From squirrel monkeys in the jungle to microorganisms in the soil of asparagus fields: when we talk about species diversity (or biodiversity), we mean all living creatures on earth. It has been clear for several decades that biodiversity on Earth is declining drastically as more and more species become extinct. In the past 50 years, 68 percent of species have become extinct and researchers warn that the earth will lose another million in the coming decades. In plain language, this means that one species is becoming extinct every hour.
As bad as this all sounds, it is not the first mass extinction in the history of the earth. There have already been six major biotic resets on Earth in which the majority of all living organisms disappeared. However, today's mass extinction differs in one "tiny" detail: In contrast to past catastrophes, today's mass extinction is man-made. In the past, it was volcanic eruptions or asteroid impacts that made the earth uninhabitable for many creatures; today it is Homo sapiens - that is, you and me. We are cultivating more and more land, taking more and more habitat away from wildlife; we are polluting the air, water and soil, killing many creatures; and we are introducing more and more invasive species that are decimating the native flora and fauna.
But why should we even care that biodiversity is declining? There are various answers to this question, three of which we present to you today.
1. Reason: Without Biodiversity, We Cannot Live – Economic Reasons Why We Should Preserve Biodiversity
We humans cannot live without biodiversity - this economic view of the preservation of species diversity is very simple. Nature satisfies human needs in many different ways: It provides us with food, medicines and raw materials. We can learn from nature and we go into nature when we want to relax. Nature also provides us with important ecosystem services; for example, forests regulate air quality and insects pollinate our plants.

So it is simply stupid if we continue to destroy nature: If we allow more and more species to die, we are destroying the basis of our own existence.
Reason 2: How do we explain to our children that there are no more bees? Why it is unfair not to protect biodiversity
The second reason why we should protect biodiversity is the ethical approach to justice. This view comes from philosophy and says: It is unjust if we destroy nature because we are destroying the basis of life for (future) people. If we simply carry on as before, our children (and their children) will have a much worse life. Maybe they will have to pollinate plants by hand because there are no more pollinating insects. Perhaps they would have to put on gas masks when they go out because the forests no longer clean the air.

It is therefore unfair if we continue to destroy nature because future generations will have a worse life as a result.
Reason 3: Everything is interconnected: To preserve entire ecosystems, the smallest building blocks must be protected
The third reason why we should preserve biodiversity is somewhat abstract. The holistic view is a biocentric approach. In contrast to anthropocentric approaches, which focus on humans, biocentric theories focus on nature. Nature should not only be protected because it is important for us humans. Nature conservation is an end in itself, as nature has an inherent value.

This may sound rather complicated, but it's actually quite simple. A healthy ecosystem is based on interdependencies between living creatures: The eagle eats the mouse, the mouse eats the fly and the fly eats the droppings of other animals. It is a breathtaking cycle that has evolved over millions of years. But what happens if there are suddenly fewer flies because agriculture is spraying more and more insecticides? At some point, the mice will have nothing left to eat and they will die out, and when the eagle has nothing left to eat, it will also die out.
If we don't protect the individual building blocks of nature, there will be cascading consequences that will destroy entire ecosystems.