The World Health Organization (WHO) has established the right to health as a fundamental right of every human being. Biodiversity is at the heart of the intricate web of life on Earth and the processes essential to its survival. Our planet’s biological resources are shaped by natural evolutionary processes and increasingly transformed by anthropogenic activity, population pressures, and globalizing tendencies. When people harm the natural resources or their environment, it can put the lives of millions of people at risk. These resources are crucial for the livelihoods, health, and well-being of those who depend on them. The increasingly complex global health challenges, including poverty, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, are more intimately tied than ever to the complex interactions between ecosystems, people, and socioeconomic processes.
We are facing two big problems: the loss of different kinds of animals and plants and more sickness worldwide. These issues are not simple and affect many areas like science, culture, etc. To solve them, we must work together and find solutions to help everyone.
Biodiversity, Health and Interactions
What is Biodiversity?
Biological diversity, most commonly used in its contracted form, biodiversity, is the term used to describe the variety of life on Earth, including animals, plants, and microbial species. Scientists estimated that some 8.7 million eukaryotic- Eukaryotic cell species (including humans) have a nucleus and internal compartments; conversely, most prokaryotic cell species comprise a single cell species on Earth, of which some 25% (2.2. million) are marine; we are discovering most them. Biodiversity not only refers to the multitude of species on Earth, but it also consists of the specific genetic variations and traits within species (such as different crop varieties)- for example, two species of rice contain over 120,000 genetically different varieties, and the assemblage of these species within ecosystems that characterize agricultural and other landscapes such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, deserts, lakes, and rivers. Each ecosystem comprises living beings interacting with one another and the air, water, and soil around them. These multiple interconnections within and between ecosystems form the web of life, of which humans are an integral part and upon which they depend for their very survival. Combining these life forms and their interactions with one another and the surrounding environment makes human life on Earth possible (Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 (CBD. int)).
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biodiversity as: “the variability among living organisms from all sources including, among other things, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems (Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 (CBD. int))”. Biodiversity encompasses much more than the variety of life on Earth; it also includes biotic community structure, the habitats in which communities live, and the variability within and among them.
Thus, biodiversity extends beyond measuring species numbers, including the complex network of interactions and biological structures that sustain ecosystems. Although “species richness” is one of biodiversity’s key components, the two terms are not synonymous. The Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) widely accepted definition of biodiversity is flexible, inclusive, and reflective of the levels and complexities of biotic and abiotic interactions. It recognizes levels of variability within species, between species, and within and between ecosystems as integral to the ecological processes of which they are a part. We also understood that variability manifests differently at various temporal and spatial scales.
What is Health?
The World Health Organization (WHO) constitution defines health as “a complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health is a dynamic concept influenced by various interacting social, biological, physical, economic, and environmental factors. Health is one of the most important indicators of sustainable development. Your social position and financial stability significantly affect how well you manage your health and stay healthy. However, people are starting to realize that environmental changes and ecosystems also impact our health.
Human health and well-being are influenced by the health and integrity of local ecosystems and frequently by the health of local plant and animal communities. The interactions between people and biodiversity can determine the baseline health status of a community, providing the basis for good health and secure livelihoods or creating the conditions responsible for morbidity or mortality- morbidity refers to the incidence of a disease across a population. In contrast, mortality refers to the rate of death in a population. Public health measures’ success and long-term effectiveness often depend on how well we consider the impact on our environment- this means that we need to take into account things like our surroundings, the weather, our access to healthcare, and other factors that can affect our health in the long run. Just like we need to take care of our finances, we also need to look after the variety of life on our planet.- this is because all living things are connected and depend on each other to function correctly. Just like how we need all the different parts of a car to work together to make it run smoothly, we need all the different plants, animals, and microorganisms to work together in our environment to keep it healthy.
Biodiversity–Health Interactions
The variety of living things on our planet, known as biodiversity, dramatically impacts human health. We rely on the natural world for many things, like clean air, water, food, and medicine. When we talk about biodiversity, we mean the variety of different living things and the places where they live. When other kinds of plants and animals in an area are in danger, it can negatively affect our physical and mental well-being. It’s not just about the number of different species but also the different types of plants and animals and their unique characteristics that make up our planet’s biodiversity- this includes the different environments where they all live.
Moreover, we consider the direct effects of biodiversity or its components on human health and the indirect effects due to biodiversity’s role in supporting ecosystem processes and functioning. Further, we examine drivers of change expected to biodiversity loss or change and health status. Finally, we are also concerned with the impacts of the interventions made in the health sector on biodiversity and vice versa.
We consider a broad range of pathways through which biodiversity may provide health and well-being benefits to people: psychological (e.g., green spaces and iconic wildlife), physiological (directly through the human microbiome, and indirectly through exercise in green spaces), regulation of the transmission and prevalence of some infectious diseases, provision of food and good nutrition, clean air and water, the provision of traditional and modern medicines and the impact of some pharmaceuticals on the environment.
We see the relationship between the different types of living things and our health in many ways. It affects us as individuals, our communities, and our environment. This connection even extends to the entire planet. Our body is home to tiny living organisms called microbiota that live in our gut, respiratory, oropharyngeal, and urogenital tracts and on our skin. These organisms help us by providing essential nutrients, strengthening our immune system, and protecting us from harmful infections. The diversity of plants and animals in our environment is vital for many reasons, such as supporting farm food production. The variety of different things and people is kept intact by how families interact with each other and the world around them. For example, different crops, livestock, pollinators, and organisms that control pests all work together to help farmers grow their food. Nature provides us with many benefits, such as clean water and protection from soil erosion. The health of the entire planet depends on the health of this biodiversity.
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