Why is biodiversity important - with Sir David Attenborough | The Royal Society

Summary

This script highlights the crucial role of biodiversity in maintaining a healthy planet, emphasizing the importance of discovering and protecting unknown species. It discusses the impact of human activities on wildlife, the benefits biodiversity provides to human life, and the urgent need for conservation efforts. The script calls for sustainable development that coexists with nature and involves affected communities, showcasing examples of successful reintroduction and restoration of species.

Takeaways

• 🐒 The spider monkey plays an unwitting role in climate activism by dispersing seeds of tropical hardwood trees, which helps in forest growth and carbon dioxide absorption.
• 🌳 Forests are crucial for maintaining a healthy planet through their role in carbon sequestration and supporting biodiversity.
• 🔍 There are over 1.6 million known species on Earth, but scientists estimate that there may be millions more yet to be discovered.
• 🐦 Large and well-documented animals like mammals and birds are not the only ones important; smaller, less noticeable organisms play a significant role in ecosystem health.
• 🍎 Biodiversity is essential for human sustenance, as it includes microorganisms that enrich soil for agriculture and pollinators that contribute to food production.
• 💊 Many medicines are derived from plants and fungi, with the potential for more discoveries in unexplored regions, such as a fungus with cancer-treating properties found on sloths.
• 🌿 Nature provides protection against natural disasters, with trees and shrubs preventing flooding and coral reefs and mangroves protecting coastlines from storms.
• 🌍 The cultural and spiritual value of nature is significant for people worldwide, beyond its practical benefits.
• 🚫 Human activities, such as habitat destruction for agriculture and mining, overhunting, and climate change, are causing significant harm to biodiversity.
• 🌊 Climate change has global impacts, with events like the mass coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef due to ocean warming.
• 🏞️ Protecting biodiversity requires a multifaceted approach, including preserving 'hotspots', restoring habitats, and managing species populations through human intervention.
• 🤝 Global development must be sustainable and considerate of nature, ensuring that affected communities have a voice in decision-making processes.

Q & A

What role do spider monkeys play in the ecosystem as mentioned in the script?

Spider monkeys act as unwitting climate activists by spreading the seeds of tropical hardwood trees in their dung, which helps in building up forests that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

How many species of life on Earth have been documented so far?

Around 1.6 million species of life on Earth have been documented, but there may be as many as 7 or 8 million more that we don't yet know about.

What are some of the organisms that are often overlooked in biodiversity but are crucial for the planet's health?

The unglamorous organisms such as micro-organisms that enrich the soil, pollinators that provide fruit and nuts, and fish that are a main source of animal protein for many people are crucial for the planet's health.

Why is protecting biodiversity important for human survival?

Protecting biodiversity is important because it provides us with food, medicines, and protection from natural disasters. It also holds spiritual and cultural value for human beings.

How does the natural world contribute to human health and well-being?

The natural world contributes to human health and well-being by providing food, medicines, protection from flooding and storm surges, and offering spiritual and cultural enrichment.

What are some of the human actions that are destroying biodiversity?

Human actions such as habitat changes for grazing, mining, and crop production, hunting animals for meat and body parts, and climate change are destroying biodiversity.

What was the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 and 2017?

In 2016 and 2017, nearly half of the corals in the Great Barrier Reef died as a result of the warming of the seas due to climate change.

What measures can be taken to slow down the biodiversity crisis?

Measures to slow down the biodiversity crisis include cutting carbon emissions, using land and water in ways that cause the least environmental damage, protecting biodiversity hotspots, and rebuilding biodiversity through hands-on management.

How did reintroduction experts in the South of England contribute to biodiversity in 2020?

In 2020, with the help of reintroduction experts in the South of England, White stork chicks hatched for the first time in 600 years, contributing to the restoration of biodiversity.

What is one example of how hands-on management helped restore a species population?

Hands-on management was critical to restoring the population of mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park in central Africa, which included using funds raised through tourism to help human communities coexist with the gorillas.

What is the importance of involving affected communities in global development pathways?

Involving affected communities in global development pathways is important because it ensures that development works with, rather than against, nature, and it gives these communities a say in decisions that affect their environment and livelihoods.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Unwitting Climate Activism and Biodiversity Importance

The first paragraph introduces the spider monkey as an inadvertent climate activist, emphasizing its role in spreading seeds of tropical hardwood trees, which contributes to forest growth and carbon dioxide absorption. It highlights the vast number of species documented on Earth, yet acknowledges the potential existence of millions more unknown species. The paragraph underscores the significance of biodiversity, not just in well-known large animals but also in the 'unglamorous' organisms that perform essential ecological functions, such as enriching soil, pollination, and providing food and medicine. It also discusses the protective role of nature against natural disasters and the cultural value it holds for humanity. The human impact on biodiversity through habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change is critiqued, with a call to action for sustainable land and water use, protection of biodiversity hotspots, and active management to restore species populations.

05:00

🌐 The Necessity of Biodiversity for a Healthy Future

The second paragraph focuses on the indispensable role of biodiversity for a healthy and fulfilling human life. It stresses the need for the Earth's rich biodiversity to ensure our well-being and happiness in the long term. The paragraph invites viewers to learn more about biodiversity and its significance through an online Q&A session available on the Royal Society's website, providing a direct resource for further education on the topic.

Keywords

💡Spider Monkey

The spider monkey is a type of primate known for its long limbs and prehensile tail, which it uses for mobility in trees. In the context of the video, the spider monkey is highlighted as an 'unwitting climate activist' because it plays a role in seed dispersal for tropical hardwood trees, contributing to forest growth and carbon dioxide absorption from the atmosphere.

💡Carbon Dioxide Absorption

Carbon dioxide absorption refers to the process by which plants and trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to perform photosynthesis. This process is crucial for mitigating climate change, as it helps to reduce the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. The video emphasizes the role of forests in this process, which is supported by the actions of animals like the spider monkey.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, encompassing the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. It is a key concept in the video, which discusses the importance of protecting this diversity for the health of the planet. Biodiversity includes a vast array of species, many of which are yet to be discovered, and it underpins the functioning of ecosystems and the services they provide to humans.

💡Species

A species is a group of living organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. The video mentions that there are around 1.6 million known species on Earth, but there may be millions more yet to be discovered. The concept of species is central to the theme of biodiversity and the video's message about the urgency of discovering and protecting these life forms.

💡Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans obtain from ecosystems, such as food, water, climate regulation, and cultural values. The video discusses how biodiversity contributes to these services, providing examples like soil enrichment by microorganisms, pollination by insects, and the role of fish as a food source.

💡Pollinators

Pollinators are animals, often insects like bees, that transfer pollen from the male parts of a flower to the female parts, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds. The video mentions pollinators as a vital component of biodiversity that contributes to food production, specifically the availability of fruits and nuts.

💡Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants are plants that contain substances used in herbalism and are the basis for many pharmaceutical drugs. The video points out that many medicines originate from plants and fungi, suggesting that there may be undiscovered medicinal resources in the world's biodiversity, such as the fungus mentioned that grows on sloths and could potentially treat cancer.

💡Natural Disaster Mitigation

Natural disaster mitigation refers to the reduction of the impact of natural disasters through various means, including the preservation of natural landscapes. The video discusses how trees, shrubs, coral reefs, and mangroves serve as natural barriers that protect against flooding and storm surges, thereby mitigating the effects of such disasters.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local and regional climates. The video mentions the impact of climate change on wildlife, such as the mass coral bleaching and death in the Great Barrier Reef due to rising sea temperatures, highlighting the urgency of addressing this global issue.

💡Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity hotspots are areas with a high concentration of unique species, many of which are threatened. The video calls for the urgent protection of these hotspots, emphasizing that they are critical areas for conservation efforts aimed at preserving the rich variety of life on Earth.

💡Reintroduction

Reintroduction is the process of returning a species to an area where it has been historically present but is now extinct or very rare. The video provides the example of white stork chicks hatching in the South of England for the first time in 600 years, illustrating the success of reintroduction efforts in restoring biodiversity.

💡Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video suggests that we must create pathways for global development that work in harmony with nature, emphasizing the importance of considering environmental impacts in our pursuit of progress.

Highlights

Spider monkeys are unwitting climate activists, spreading seeds of tropical hardwood trees which help in building up forests that absorb carbon dioxide.

There may be millions of species yet to be discovered, emphasizing the vast biodiversity on Earth.

Biodiversity includes not only large animals but also numerous smaller species that are crucial for a healthy planet.

Human impact on the planet is causing concern for the potential loss of species before they are even discovered.

Biodiversity is essential for food production, from micro-organisms enriching soil to pollinators providing fruits and nuts.

Many medicines originate from plants and fungi, with the potential for more discoveries in remote areas.

A fungus found on sloths could potentially help treat some forms of cancer, illustrating the medicinal potential of biodiversity.

Natural elements like trees, shrubs, coral reefs, and mangroves provide protection against flooding and storm surges.

The spiritual and cultural value of nature is significant for human beings worldwide.

Human actions such as habitat changes for agriculture and harmful practices are destroying biodiversity.

Over 300 mammal species risk extinction due to hunting for meat and prized body parts.

Climate change is a global pressure on wildlife, with examples like the significant coral death in the Great Barrier Reef due to warming seas.

To address the biodiversity crisis, we must reduce carbon emissions and minimize environmental damage from land and water use.

Urgent protection of biodiversity hotspots and rebuilding biodiversity through space provision and human management is necessary.

Reintroduction programs, such as the successful hatching of white stork chicks in England after 600 years, demonstrate the potential of hands-on management.

Community involvement and coexistence with wildlife, supported by tourism funds, are vital for biodiversity conservation, as seen in the mountain gorilla population restoration.

Global development pathways should work in harmony with nature, ensuring the benefits of biodiversity are recognized and utilized for human well-being.

The importance of biodiversity for a healthy, happy human life is underscored by the need to protect and restore our living planet's riches.

Further information on biodiversity and its significance can be found through an online Q&A at royalsociety.org/biodiversity.

Transcripts

This spider monkey is an  unwitting climate activist.

Large fruit eaters such as this one spread the  seeds of tropical hardwood trees in their dung,  

helping to build up forests, which absorb  carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

And this is just one of perhaps  millions of interactions  

that guarantee a healthy  and functioning planet.

Humans have spent hundreds of  years documenting life on Earth,  

and we now have a catalogue of around 1.6 million species.

However, there may be 7 or 8 million  more that we don’t yet know about.

We have a good idea of the large animals, such as mammals and birds,

but there are doubtless even some of these that we’ve missed.

And the smaller you go, the more species  there are left to find.

As the human impact on the planet intensifies,

scientists fear that many species  could be lost before we even discover them.

So why is it so important that we  protect our planet’s biodiversity?

When we think of protecting wildlife, we tend to picture the superstars.

But the organisms that do most of the hard work keeping our planet healthy

are the unglamorous ones.

This biodiversity provides us with the food we eat:

from the micro-organisms that enrich  the soil where we grow our crops,

to the pollinators who give us fruit and nuts,  

and the fish that are the main source of  animal protein for around a billion people.

Many of our medicines originate from plants and fungi

and many more may lie undiscovered in remote corners of the world.

For instance, there’s a fungus that grows on the fur of sloths  

that could help treat some forms of cancer.

The natural world shelters and protects us too.  

Trees and shrubs protect our homes from  flooding, and coral reefs and mangroves  

shield our coastlines from storm surges.

And all that is not to mention the great  spiritual and cultural value

that nature holds for human beings the world over.

But, despite the overwhelming benefits of a healthy planet,

many human actions are destroying biodiversity.

Changes to habitats for grazing,  

mining and crop production, including  the use of harmful fertilisers,

have had a huge impact on land and sea.

We hunt animals for meat and prized body parts.

More than 300 mammal species  risk being consumed to extinction.

And then there’s climate change.

This affects the whole world, putting huge pressure on wildlife.

In 2016 and 2017 nearly half the corals  in the Great Barrier Reef died

as a result of the warming of the seas.

So, what must we do, now, to slow  down the crisis we’re faced with?

In addition to cutting our carbon emissions,  we must find ways of using land and water

that cause the least damage to the environment, leaving  enough space for natural habitats to thrive.

We must urgently protect the  so-called ‘biodiversity hotspots’.

But, equally, we should be rebuilding  biodiversity wherever and however we can.

Sometimes this is as simple as giving plants  and animals the space they need to succeed,  

and sometimes they need hands-on  management from humans.

In 2020, with the help of reintroduction  experts in the South of England,  

White stork chicks hatched for  the first time in 600 years.

Hands-on management was also critical to  restoring the population of mountain gorillas  

in the Virunga National Park in central Africa.  This included using a proportion of the money  

raised through tourism to help human communities  coexist with their animal neighbours.

We must provide pathways for global development  that work with, rather than against, nature.

And we need to give the communities  affected a seat at the table.

The benefits provided by nature are indispensable

for making human life both possible and worth living.

We need all the riches of our living planet  

to help us live healthy, happy  lives long into the future.

Find out more about biodiversity and its  importance by visiting our online Q&A.

Go to royalsociety.org/biodiversity