I thought some readers of this website might find it useful to have a non-technical explanation of ‘Biodiversity’ as that might reveal why other contributors believe it is important to all future Land-use Planning in WA.
Biodiversity should be thought of as a sort of ‘protective survival insurance’ for not only other wild life, but ourselves – remembering that as humans we are just one species that evolved naturally over millennia from the biological interaction of all forms of life, on a planet that was a barren surface with just water, gasses, minerals and sunlight to start from. We may have turned out so far to be the dominant species on the planet, but even though we have incredible capabilities as a result if our brain sizes and ingenuity – BE VERY AWARE that the natural evolution of this planet and its biospheres with which we are inextricably linked is not by any means finished with us yet-!
The fact is that all of the various life-forms around us- wherever we live on Planet Earth- are to some extent biologically interrelated and interdependent. If we damage, alter or remove the local land surface and/or the conditions where they have developed, we must be aware that they could be lost for ever. (WA has many unique and internationally known wild life species of flora and fauna and we are all collectively responsible for their survival).
All living organisms of different types and sizes (from micro to macro) constantly interact, and evolve naturally though inter-dependent food chains. If any essential organisms in these constantly operating chains are weakened, damaged or removed; unless immediate adaptation is possible, a whole range of inter-dependent life forms in that system can collapse – and consequently many of the organisms in that system can rapidly become extinct, in any given locality.
The study of interdependencies and operating mechanisms of life forms is called Ecology.
There are many well researched ecologies; – of plants, insects, invertebrates, animals, humans etc. and they are nearly all somehow interrelated and reinforced by mutual association in different physical environments; such as within various local climates, microclimates, geology, water availability, water chemistry etc. Protecting bio-diversity is therefore recognised as the means to preserve the continuity of all forms of life in any given location and is constrained by the limits of adaptability of each and every constituent organism. That applies to all life everywhere and in every locality. (Man-made interventions that do disturb long-standing natural ecosystems invariably require continuing further subsequent interventions in order to re-balance changes that inevitably ensue. Fundamental economics constantly shows that man working intelligently with nature, rather than against can avoid long-term cumulative, often unforseen, costs and pays dividends in the long term.)
Active Conservation of Biodiversity today in the 21st century is increasingly demanded by communities worldwide. That is partly through alarm over the survival concerns for our own human species arising from major disasters, destruction by man-made interventions; and partly to better environmental education and general community awareness.
It is very possible, using common sense, to modify the land surfaces where we live locally to accommodate man-made homes and all the other convenient facilities we need – roads, railways, industry, airports etc. – while at the same time retaining (conserving) in selected areas, the essential life sustaining ingredients for biological survival of other natural species that have evolved in that location. Selective conservation like that can give joy not only to us but our descendants by keeping us daily in touch with plants, trees, fresh air, water and other major natural species and elements . That can only be done if, through better Land- use Planning practices, we stop thoughtless large-scale clearance of land for ‘development’ without first carefully assessing what is already there that could be incorporated and so improve our overall quality of life.