Biodiversity and Human Values

Many plants produce secondary plant compounds originally designed for defense against herbivores, but these compounds work as medications for humans. Additionally, poisons and venoms produced by animals like snakes and snails have led to treatments for chronic conditions such as pain and hypertension. These natural sources represent a valuable pharmaceutical resource.

The huge variety of crops produced today results from thousands of years of selective breeding to increase yields and improve taste. Humans have been artificially selecting plant and animal species for food, building materials, textiles, and medicine for at least 11,000 years. This ongoing process continues to benefit human civilization through agricultural innovation.

Biodiversity is essential to ecosystem health, which provides people with clean water and air. Diverse species like frogs, snails, and lichens only thrive in habitats with unpolluted water and air, making them indicators of environmental quality. Maintaining conservation biology and ecosystem health ensures these critical life-support services continue.

In 1969, researchers discovered a heat-tolerant bacterial strain in Yellowstone's Lower Geyser Basin. From this bacteria, Taq polymerase enzyme was isolated, enabling polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This discovery revolutionized biotechnological advancements in pharmaceuticals, food production, and consumer goods, demonstrating biodiversity's practical value.

Many people enjoy the aesthetics of the natural world, generating significant revenue through ecotourism. Additionally, plants and animals deeply rooted in human culture create moral responsibilities to protect them. This cultural and economic appreciation demonstrates how biodiversity supports both human livelihoods and values.

Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore impact human civilizations. Maintaining current biodiversity levels makes it substantially more likely that new discoveries benefiting humanity will occur. Since human activity has diminished biodiversity, minimizing this damage is our responsibility.

While some argue that discoveries benefiting humanity provide the strongest case for maintaining biodiversity, others take a less human-centered view. These advocates contend that biodiversity must be protected for its intrinsic value, independent of human utility. Both perspectives recognize that human activity has diminished biodiversity and requires corrective action.