Conservation approaches

The essentials

Why should biodiversity be conserved? The reasons can be grouped into three categories.

Narrowly utilitarian arguments: Humans derive countless direct economic benefits from nature: food (cereals, pulses, fruits), firewood, fibre, construction material, industrial products (tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, perfumes) and products of medicinal importance. More than 25 per cent of the drugs currently sold in the market worldwide are derived from plants, and many more medicinal plants are used in traditional medicine. With increasing resources put into bioprospecting (exploring molecular, genetic and species-level diversity for products of economic importance), nations with rich biodiversity can expect to reap enormous benefits.

Broadly utilitarian arguments: Biodiversity plays a major role in the many ecosystem services that nature provides. The Amazon forest is estimated to produce, through photosynthesis, about 20 per cent of the total oxygen in the earth's atmosphere. Pollination by bees, bumblebees, birds and bats is another service without which plants cannot give fruits or seeds. There are also intangible benefits, such as the aesthetic pleasure of walking through thick woods, watching spring flowers in full bloom or waking up to a bulbul's song. These services cannot easily be replaced and are difficult to put a price on.

Ethical argument: We share this planet with millions of plant, animal and microbe species. Philosophically or spiritually, every species has an intrinsic value, even if it may not be of any current economic value to us. We have a moral duty to care for their well-being and pass on our biological legacy in good order to future generations.

Key points

• Narrowly utilitarian: direct products such as food, medicines and industrial materials.
• Broadly utilitarian: ecosystem services such as oxygen production, pollination and aesthetic value.
• Ethical: intrinsic value of every species, independent of human use.

Exam tips

• Read situation-based stems carefully: a direct product points to the narrowly utilitarian argument; a service points to the broadly utilitarian one.