Biodiversity and Human Health

Biodiversity and Human Health

 Ecosystem provides the life support systems for all life; in additon to that, it purifies air and fresh water, binds and detoxifies poisonous substance, breaks down wates and recycles intrients on land and in the oceans, pollinates the crops  and natural vegetation, makes soil fertile and stores carbon.

·         Biodiversity supports food security, dietary health and livelihood sustainability: Ecosystem provides the fountation of crop development and food security and promotes resistance  and resilience to environmental stresses including pest and diseases of crops and livestock. Diets based on a diversity of food species promote health and can help to protect against diseas by addressing the problem of micronutrients and vitamin deficiencies. Loss of agricultural biodiveristy can therefore threaten health, livelihood sustainability an dour future  security of food and nutriton.

·         Biodiveristy provides important resources for medical research: Study of wildlife  anatomy, physiology and biochemistry can lead to important developments in human medicines. Examples of species of interest to medical science include hears ( for insights into osteoporosis, cardio-vascular disorder, renal disease and diabetes), sharks (osmoregulation and immunlogy) and crabs (ophthamology and molecular cell biology).

·         Biodiversity provides important resources for traditonal and modern medicine:  Modern drugs from wild species include Inter alla pain killer (Zinconitide from cone snail toxin), cardiac drugs (Lanoxin from digitalis plants) and treatment for diabetes (Exanitide from lizards).

·         Biodiversity plays a role in the regulation and control of infectious diseases: In recent years, outbreak of SARS, ebola, avian influenza and malaria have been attributed to human impacts on biodiversity, the wildlife trade or unsustainable land use change.

·         Biodiversity has social, cultural and spiritual importance within the communities: An awareness of environmental values and respect for other species has been associated with reduced propensity towards anti – social behavior in children and young adults. An access to ‘green space’ is associated with better health outcomes than in purely urban environments.