Biodiversity
Biodiversity is of vital importance for the formation of a livable and healthy environment. Various living things with different functions and characteristics are part of the natural order. In order for life on Earth to continue, this natural balance must be preserved and maintained.
Biodiversity by definition; biological diversity in the whole ecosystem or in specific ecosystems. It is vital for a healthy and livable environment. In order to sustain life on Earth, living things with different characteristics and functions must continue their lives in their natural environment in a balanced manner.
Biodiversity, which concerns all living things, including microorganisms, plants, animals and humans, is not only environmental but also all the needs of humans (housing, energy... etc) from nature.
Constituent elements of biodiversity: Biodiversity consists of four basic elements.
- Species Diversity
- Genetic Diversity
- Ecosystem Diversity
- Variety of Ecological Events (Processes)
The Importance of Biodiversity
It has a great importance in protecting the ecosystem balance, protecting the food chain, using natural resources and keeping climate changes under control.
Benefits of biodiversity for the ecosystem
- Ensuring ecological balance
- Continuity of natural resources
- Continuity of living life and diversity
Economic and social benefits of biodiversity: There are 3,000 plant species in the world as a source of food and genes as plant food for humans. About 150 of these have been widely cultivated in the past. Today, about 15 plant species feed 90% of the world's population. Economically, it provides great gains to the economy in the cultivation and marketing of agricultural and industrial products. It is a source for the raw materials of drugs used in the treatment of many diseases for medicine and pharmacy. Ecology, environmental health and its impact on tourism provide important contributions in terms of both diversity conservation and tourism in areas such as national parks, natural protected areas, biosphere reserves.
Factors Threatening Biodiversity: Soil, water and air pollution, over-consumption, introduction of alien species, industrial agriculture, climate changes, overfishing, nuclear explosions and GMO plants.
Conservation of Biodiversity: Conscious use of natural resources, development of responsible consumption and production habits, reduction of negative impact on the environment, transition to sustainable agriculture and economy, provision of waste management, increase of education and awareness-raising activities, establishment of environmentally friendly cities, international collaborations and government policies and increasing struggles for global warming can be counted as basic steps in the protection of biodiversity.
Biodiversity and Agriculture
Agricultural practices are those that use limited resources and affect biodiversity. Agricultural sustainability is an essential priority for the protection of ecosystems and the development of biodiversity, and the preservation of water and soil quality. Biodiversity is the most important element of agricultural sustainability. Agricultural biodiversity or agrobiodiversity; It includes the diversity of animals, plants and microorganisms necessary to maintain the basic functions, structure, processes that support food production and security of the agricultural ecosystem.
The 19th and 20th centuries caused the greatest destruction in human history as a result of the unsustainable use of biodiversity and limited natural resources. These problems are generally;
- Monoculture erodes biodiversity between both plants and animals.
- Synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides pollute soil, air and water, harming ecology and public health.
- Soil is eroding much faster than it can be renewed.
- In many agricultural areas, water is consumed at unsustainable rates.
FAO's figures on biodiversity losses are alarming. Agricultural biodiversity has been declining rapidly in recent years. Since the mid-19th century, the loss of biodiversity of cultivated plants has been more than 75%. Of the thousands of cultivated plants that used to be food sources, fiber plants or other purposes, only about 150 are left today, or even 12 in some countries.
A number of approaches are being implemented to reduce the aforementioned negative effects. Examples within the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (ETU) approach include; preventive agriculture and biodiversity, holistic pasture management, sustainable agriculture, agroecological practices, participatory sustainable land management approaches and agroforestry. The other approach is organic farming. Organic agriculture is an agricultural system that aims at the preservation of diversity and the healthy functioning of the agro-ecosystem, where the value chain is checked and certified according to the applicable standards. Another approach is biodynamic organic farming. Biodynamic organic farming is the oldest and most environmentally friendly sustainable farming method. Interest is increasing today because it is one of the best methods to improve soil health and food quality.
Countries all over the world are taking various measures to protect agricultural biodiversity. According to FAO's assessments, there are 6 million plant samples in the world's gene banks, and about 40% of them belong to cereals. The Ministry of Agriculture's General Directorate of Agricultural Research has formed a separate group on natural resources and accelerated the work on this issue. Many collections have been made in cultural plants in Turkey; and continues to be done.
In the conservation of agricultural biodiversity, an on-site cultivation (On-Farm-Management) protection system is being developed. In contrast to protection outside, protection in the field is a dynamic form of protection and utilization. In this context, the conservation of varieties and populations developed by local farmers themselves as genetic resources should be in the traditional way. Local varieties show a great variation of species and varieties.
Weeds are of great importance in the protection of biodiversity in sustainable agriculture. Weeds grown in their natural areas can be beneficial to agricultural products grown by maintaining the natural balance in terms of soil and plant health. The main goal should be to keep the weeds under control without completely destroying them and to support the cultivated plant. In addition, weeds have important contributions to beekeeping and other animal husbandry.
In terms of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, it should not be forgotten that the ecological role of insects is an essential condition both in terms of the food chain and their activities. They have assumed many roles, from insects, which are among the species that have undertaken the role of separation in nature, to those that play a primary role in the pollination of plants. Again, the effect of the diversity of soil microbiota on soil and plants is of great importance in terms of biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. Plants grown in a soil rich in biodiversity in terms of soil health have higher nutrient content and higher durability. Biodiversity increases the water-holding capacity of the soil, allows plant roots to grow deeper, and ultimately prevents erosion, in other words, soil loss.
Biodiversity and Orbiba Robotics
Orbiba Robotics will make significant contributions to biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, soil and plant health with the robots it develops. By identifying weeds and determining the extent to which they will benefit or harm the plant, it will ensure that weeds are under control based on the protection of biodiversity. It will make significant contributions to the determination and conservation of plant and animal biodiversity in the protection of soil health.
Biodiversity and Soil Health Specialist
FATMA BAYCAN
Resources
- Dr. Necmettin Çepel – Biodiversity Importance and Conservation
- tarımorman.gov.tr
- turçev.org.tr
- Biodiversity-Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development Filiz Demirayak. Tubitak Vision 2023 Project Environment and Sustainable Development Panel. December 2002
- https://www.fao.org/state-of-biodiversity-for-food-agriculture/en/
- https://www.semtrio.com/blog/what is biodiversity
- https://www.j-ht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jht-spec-4.pdf
- https://m.bianet.org/bianet/print/233004
