Biodiversity, coined from the words
biological diversity, is defined as “the variety of all forms of life, from
genes to species, through to the broad scale of ecosystems” (Biodiversity, 2007).
Biodiversity includes the vast variety of life form on earth and their
relationship with each other. Specifically, this includes species diversity,
ecosystem diversity, genetic diversity and cultural diversity.
Species diversity is the different
plants and animals and other life forms on earth and their interactions or
relationship with each other. Ecosystem diversity is the habitat of these
plants, animals and life from and their relationship with each other. Genetic
diversity is the genetic traits inherited by one species which makes it
different from other species. Cultural diversity is the different human
cultures which influence and affects the natural world (The Basics of
Biodiversity, n.d.).
Diversity in the contemporary system
is the difference between the different groups of the human species which
occurs in the present time. Thus it can be said that diversity in the
contemporary system is multiculturalism. It is defined as, “the doctrine that
several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can co-exist
peacefully and equitably in a single country” (Multiculturalism, 2008). It
represents the diversity among the human species, particularly in race or any
group and their specific cultures.
Similarly, diversity in contemporary
system is the same as biodiversity since in both diversities there is a strong
and interdependent relationship between each member of the groups. For
instance, in biodiversity, there is the symbiotic relationship between the
animals and the plants. In multiculturalism, the same can also be seen in the
same symbiotic relationship of different groups of people. This is proven in
their sharing of knowledge and beliefs which advances human way of life.
Moreover, as the environment
changes, biodiversity and multiculturalism change. At present we see alarming
changes in biodiversity which calls for conservation of many species. In
multiculturalism, the new trend in technology and the population movement is at
a very high level and there are now very few mono-cultural societies left around
the globe. In the future, it will not be surprising if the human society will
have one culture shared by all.
However, there are also differences
between biodiversity and the diversity in contemporary system. For one, there
are certain conflicts that are due to the differences in contemporary system
that is not found in biodiversity, such as racism. In biodiversity the whole
system evolves more harmoniously.
It
is important to sustain biodiversity because all creatures on earth benefits
from it. But more importantly human lives are presently dependent on
biodiversity. For humans, biodiversity’s value includes economic,
environmental, medical and scientific. Economically, biodiversity sustains
global trade; environmentally, it balances the ecological health; medically,
the plants, animals and other organism provides medicinal use, and,
scientifically, the relationship of the species shows how evolution works and
will continue to work (The Basics of Biodiversity, n.d.).
Again
similarly, it is important to sustain the diversity between the contemporary
societies since by having different culture in a given place the people are
able to enjoy the different culture and the advantages of the integration of
these different cultures in their daily lives.
Works
Cited
Basics of Biodiversity. n.d.
Biodiversity and Conservation: The Web of Life.
Retrieved 12
February 2008 from
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/biodiversity/investigate_basics1.html
Biodiversity. 2007. Stanford
Encyclopedia.
Retrieved 12
February 2008 from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/biodiversity/
Multiculturalism. 2008. Word
Reference.com
Retrieved 12
February 2008 from
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/multiculturalism
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