What is the value, to humankind, of biodiversity?

What will be an ideal response?


Biodiversity provides valuable ecosystem services (e.g., pollination, new food choices, continued soil fertility, and pest control for agriculture free of charge). Biodiversity provides a wide variety of traditional medicines and high-tech pharmaceutical products. Biodiversity provides economic benefits through tourism and recreation. Perhaps most importantly, as E.O. Wilson and Richard Louv have insisted, people need, value, and seek out connections with nature which offer such intangible services as creative inspiration, self-growth, and the experiences of beauty and peace of mind.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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Igneous rocks with an andesitic composition are found along volcanic island arcs

Indicate whether this statement is true or false.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Latin America's leading trade partner is China, and as such, the Latin American economies are affected by conditions in China

a. True b. False Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Porphyritic texture indicates:

a. slow, gradual cooling b. rapid cooling c. slow cooling, followed by rapid cooling d. rapid cooling, followed by slow cooling

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Which of the following is a consequence of clearing forests for agriculture purposes?

A) CO2 levels in the atmosphere drop to dangerously low levels. B) Water runoff decreases because crops will take up more of the moisture. C) Soil erosion increases because the tree roots and other vegetation that stabilize the soil have been removed. D) Biodiversity increases because of habitat diversification. E) The soil becomes richer and retains moisture better because there are few trees to take up the water and soil nutrients.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences