Q.There are many reasons for conserving biodiversity. Mention two possible reasons.

Biodiversity is conserved both for the practical services and resources it provides humanity and for the ethical recognition that all species have an inherent right to exist.

There are several categories of reasons for conserving biodiversity, of which two important ones are: (1) Narrowly utilitarian/economic reasons — biodiversity is directly essential to human survival and economic well-being, providing food crops, medicinal plants (a large fraction of prescribed drugs are derived from plants), timber, fibre, and countless other products, as well as crucial ecosystem services such as pollination, oxygen production, soil formation, and nutrient/water cycling. (2) Ethical reasons — quite apart from their usefulness to humans, every species has an intrinsic value and a right to exist on this planet, and humans have a moral responsibility not to cause other species to go extinct through …