St. Vincent and the Grenadines is blessed with lush green vegetation and crystal clear waters, the forest and the ocean are habitats for plants and animals which makes up our biodiversity. The word “biodiversity” is becoming a popular word in science, what is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all the different organisms- the plants, animals, insects and microorganisms that live on our planet. Biodiversity plays a crucial role in our ecotourism. For example, the forest is a habitat for birds, wildlife, and other animals. Tourists visiting our island can take a hike in the forest and enjoy bird watching or take photos of the various wildlife and plants. The ocean is rich with biodiversity. Diving in the waters of SVG and your eyes will be lit with marine life. Ecotourism contributes significantly to our economy. Biodiversity provides us with food. Flowers provide nectar and pollen which attract bees. Bees collect nectar from flowers and convert it into honey, they also collect pollen from plants which pollinate other plants that provides us with food. Without bees, there would be a lot of famine. Sea food is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which is good for the heart and the brain.
Biodiversity provides us with a balance ecosystem. For example, lizards eat flies and mosquitoes. Too much flies and mosquitoes can cause an outbreak of diseases. Our grandparents at times would recommend various plants that we can use when we are sick. Some plants are medicinal hence the reason why we should appreciate our biodiversity. Microorganisms are vital for breaking down dead organisms, waste, and plant matter, releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem. Farmers and back yard gardeners benefit from microorganisms. The nutrients release increase their yields, better yield means more money for the farmer and more food for the nation. Trees are a fundamental element of biodiversity. They act as carbon sinks which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mitigating against climate change. They also prevent soil erosion. This ensures that sediments does not enter our water.
Threats to our biodiversity:
• Habitat loss- Deforestation is a serious threat to our biodiversity. The forest is a habitat for a vast number of animals and the removal of trees put a lot of animals at risk of extinction. Coral reefs are also a habitat for a lot of marine animals, poor management of our coral reefs can cause a collapse of the marine ecosystem which would affect fisher folk livelihood.
• Over hunting and over fishing- Over hunting our wildlife and over fishing reduces reproduction, once reproduction is reduced, it means less off spring will be born which can lead to extinction.
• Pollution- Pollution from different sources such as plastic, sewage, fertilizer run off, grey water, threatens our coral reefs and marine animals. Plastic on the beach affects sea turtles from laying their eggs and in the ocean marine animals mistake it for food which blocks their digestive system. Sewage, fertilizer, and grey water causes eutrophication.
• Climate change- Climate change causes water temperature to increase which leads to coral bleaching. Coral bleaching can cause corals to die which can affect the biodiversity in the ocean.
Biodiversity is beneficial to us and the environment. Every effort should be made to prevent our biodiversity from going extinct if we want future generations to continue to enjoy our beautiful biodiversity and to mitigate against famine and high food prices in the future.