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Biodiversity
What is Biodiversity?
Formed by combining the words ‘biological’ and ‘diversity’, biodiversity refers to the
many millions of organisms on Earth and the way they interact with each other.
Biodiversity can be used to describe the variety and relationships of animals, plants
and micro-organisms in different sized habitats - from a garden pond through to the
Earth’s oceans.
The UK is home to a huge variety of wild plants, animals, birds and insects. They
exist in all types of habitat from the countryside to the city. This biological diversity
is of immeasurable agricultural and scientific value, as well as providing us with
great beauty and enjoyment.
Western Flower Thrip
(Frankliniella occidentalis)
Why is Biodiversity Important?
Biodiversity is about a sustainable future. It is the starting point for many of the things we use every day, whether
it is the food we eat, the medicines we use or the leisure pursuits we enjoy. It is also responsible for regulating
key aspects of the Earth’s ecological balance, for example, nutrient cycling and crop
pollination. Because no single organism lives in isolation, we often underestimate the
impact that a decline in biodiversity will have.
Any loss of biodiversity in the environment potentially upsets the balance of nature and
impacts the way we live. The greater the biodiversity within an ecosystem, the more
robust the ecosystem will be. Approximately 90% of the calories in our global diet are
supplied by just 30 crops and many European crop types are directly dependent upon
insects for their pollination. There is still huge potential for increasing the range of food
products available to us. As we source our food supply from so few plant species, we
are susceptible to environmental changes and crop diseases.
Yellow Wagtail
Farmland Biodiversity
Diversity of wild species on the farm, for example, pollinating insects, birds,
mammals and soil micro-organisms, is critically important to maintain healthy
ecosystems that allow agriculture to be more productive. More than 80% of
European crop types are directly dependent upon insects for their pollination.
The last 30 years have seen some dramatic falls in biodiversity in parts of the
UK countryside. Changing farming practices and the destruction of natural
habitats to make way for urban and industrial development has led to
population declines and even local extinctions for some species (e.g. the short
haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus, was last seen in the UK in 1988).
Fortunately, UK farmers can take steps to manage their land in ways that
encourage and protect biodiversity without compromising crop yields and longterm farm profitability. Syngenta’s Jealott’s Hill farm is an excellent example,
illustrating how productive farming and biodiversity can co-exist.
A farm field margin
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