2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is a broad concept used to refer to all life on
earth, and the ecosystems in which it occurs.
South Africa boasts the third highest level of biodiversity in the world and an impressive increase in domestic and foreign tourists each year.
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is a broad concept used to refer to all life on
earth, and the ecosystems in which it occurs.
South Africa boasts the third highest level of biodiversity in the world and an impressive increase in domestic and foreign tourists each year.
It is a signatory to the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which focuses on the conservation of biodiversity.
The International Day for Biological Diversity was marked on 22 May under the theme: “Biodiversity and Poverty Alleviation – Challenges for Sustainable Development.”
This calls for a new way of looking at biodiversity conservation. In South Africa, matters of biodiversity have come to include wider issues such as politics, economics and culture.
Can we afford to lose our biodiversity? “Absolutely not,” proclaimed SAIAB Chief Scientist, Professor Alan Whitfield.
“The northern hemisphere doesn’t have a rich biodiversity, and tourists from America and Europe come specifically to see the biodiversity we have here in South Africa.”
“Everything has its role in an ecosystem, and all aspects of the ecosystem are held together by a web of interactions between animal and plant life on all levels,” said SAIAB Aquatic Biologist, Dr Nikki James.
Dr Olaf Weyl, Senior Aquatic Biologist, warned that because ecosystem functioning is dependent on the interactions between all components, losing key components of these ecosystems and reducing biodiversity could result in unforeseeable and irreversible consequences.
Costs vs benefits With latest estimates showing that more than 50% of South Africans are living below the poverty line, economic development at all costs often preside over biodiversity issues.
However, these, if left unattended, could be detrimental to the country, said South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Research Taxonomist, Daksha Naran.
Aquatic systems are small areas surrounded by land so plants and animals that live there are trapped in them, said Weyl. Water obstruction is our biggest concern he cautioned.
“If some poisonous chemical enters a pond, taking out the oxygen, there is nowhere else for the fish to go.” Aquatic animals are diverse and important to our heritage.
Estuaries in particular provide for the livelihoods of many people and South Africa has a wide variety of these ecosystems, including Lake St Lucia which is a world heritage site.
Wetlands are another type of aquatic ecosystem adding to the biodiversity of a country. They filter the water upon which we all depend for life, explained Weyl.
Threats to our biodiversity Rhodes University PhD candidate Albert Chakona said, “Increased human development and demand on the environment destroy critical biodiversity habitats.”
“There needs to be a balance between human demands and the importance of conserving the natural environment,” added SAIAB Senior Aquatic Biologist, Dr Monica Mwale.
An economic strategy With natural resources in limited supply, using them irresponsibly would lead to a stunted economic growth.
Considering the economic benefits drawn from resource conservation, Weyl emphasised the need for conservation in terms of tourism benefits.
“Look at tourism’s contribution to GDP [5% per year]: the wildlife experience is driven by biodiversity, which will be lost if we carry on destroying our ecosystems,” warned Weyl.
Ecosystems play an important role in purifying the air and water, regulating the climate, regenerating soil fertility and detoxifying and decomposing wastes.
“The value of these services to a society is infinite,” said Weyl, “but because these are not traded in economic markets, they have no tangible price and therefore do not alert society when there is a change in supply.”
Biodiversity and poverty In 2010, total tourism is expected to contribute 12% to total GDP, which could lead to the creation of over 1.5 million jobs.
“The prettiness of our biodiversity is important for tourism,” says Weyl. As the fastest growing part of our economy, tourism has the potential to alleviate poverty.
Those people living in areas visited by tourists need to be educated about the importance of protecting their immediate environments. Some conclusions Naran believes that there is not enough “effective education” out there.
“The truth is,” said Weyl, “people will only care about things that they can associate with. Conservation is a privilege rather than a right, and access to seeing and experiencing our natural heritage is as important as education.”
Chakona believes that South Africa has good management policies and is “committed to preventing further loss of biodiversity provided the laws are properly enforced.”
To pull South Africa out of the pool of some of the poorest nations in the world, we need to begin appreciating our natural assets.
The statistics were drawn from www.nationsencyclopedia. com
