Question

Which of the following can be considered as a narrowly utilitarian reason behind conservation of biodiversity?

• A. Plants are responsible for the production of oxygen on Earth
• B. Many traditional and modern drugs are obtained from plants
• C. Different species of animals such as bees, bats, birds, etc are major contributors to the process of pollination
• D. Soil microbes play an important role in cycling of nutrients through the ecosystem

Answer 1

The correct option is B Many traditional and modern drugs are obtained from plants

Every biotic or living resource of the planet Earth contributes to the restoration of life on this planet and makes Earth a habitable planet. Thus conservation of the biodiversity (variability in the life forms present) of the planet is of utmost importance.

The various reasons for biodiversity conservation are broadly categorised into narrowly utilitarian reasons, broadly utilitarian reasons and ethical reasons.

The narrowly utilitarian reasons behind biodiversity conservation accounts for all the direct or economic utilities that people derive from the biotic resources.

These include the following :

• All the food that derived from the plant and animal resources.
• The various modern and traditional drugs or medicines that are derived from various plant species. Examples include painkillers or analgesic drugs such as morphine and codeine obtained from the poppy plant (Papaver somniferum).
• Fats and oils derived from plants (coconut oil, groundnut oil) and animals (butter, ghee).
• Fibres such as cotton and jute obtained from plants and wool obtained from animals.
• Timbers and firewood obtained from plants.
• Industrial products such as latex, varnishes, resins, dyes, etc., derived from plants, and so on.

Thus option b is the correct answer.

The broadly utilitarian reasons behind biodiversity conservation are based on the various services that help in stable functioning of the ecosystem. These include the following :

• Production of oxygen during the process of photosynthesis by plants which helps most life forms to sustain on the Earth.
• Pollination carried out by animals (bees, birds) is mainly responsible for sexual reproduction in flowering plants.
• Decomposition of dead and decaying organisms by soil microbes help in recycling nutrients back into the environment, to be absorbed by life forms in the ecosystem.

Hence option a, c and d are broadly utilitarian reasons.

Figure : Reasons for biodiversity conservation