BIODIVERSITY: OVEREXPLOITED BUT UNDERUTILIZED NATURAL RESOURCE FOR HUMAN EXISTENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Man arrived on the planet earth only recently i.e. about 1 million years ago! but he has been using his knowledge and technology to impact on other living organisms (the biodiversity) that have taken more than 600 million years to develop. In this review, the concept of biodiversity is considered beyond the physical/morphological manifestation of plants, animals and the microbes (i.e. species diversity), and further defined in terms of genetic, behavioral, life-history, physiological and other diversities. The paper examines the essence of biodiversity from the perspectives of food production, drug development, inexhaustible genetic resources and ecosystem services but regrets to note the unsustainable manner of its exploitation by humans. Additionally, it highlights the necessity for reducing ecological footprints (and increasing our handprints) as a way out of this environmental challenge. The paper concludes that our planet is sick, and the basis of our existence is being undermined with the onset of biological poverty. It therefore recommends that everyone of us should begin to use our “healing hands” to compensate for the damage we have done or are doing directly or indirectly to biodiversity.