Question

How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

Answer 1

Biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an Ecosystem

1. The ecosystem is a geographic area involving interactions of various abiotic and biotic components to form a stable community.
2. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms that are present in an ecosystem.
3. Sustainability is the act of maintaining an ecological balance between the biotic and abiotic components by avoiding the depletion of natural resources or living organisms.
4. A greater variety of life forms helps to maintain the natural sustainability of the ecosystem.
5. The more the number of species, the lesser will be the impact of any external stress.
6. An ecosystem with lesser biodiversity is highly affected by various external factors.
7. Also, the cycling of matter and nutrients is more efficiently carried out in a high-diversity ecosystem.
8. Similarly, the competition among the various species for food and survival is high and thus, the fit species are naturally selected.
9. Thus, the sustainability of an ecosystem is directly proportional to its biodiversity.