Unlocking the Economic Benefits of Genetic Diversity: Why it Matters
The amazing biological diversity of life on earth can be referred to as biodiversity. It includes plants, animals, and other species along with the habitats they use/environments in which they exist.
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity means the variety of genes contained in plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Genetic diversity occurs at four levels of the organization. They are
- Among species
- Among populations
- Within populations
- Within individuals
It includes the range of different inherited traits within species. Due to genetic diversity, one species can be easily distinguished from the other. Further, this is critical for a particular population when they try to adapt to the changes in environmental conditions.
Genetic diversity is the factor that enables natural selection to occur.
It enables individuals in a population to obtain different types of alleles that are suitable for the changing environmental conditions and they can survive bad environmental conditions. Then they will pass these alleles to the next generation. Then these individuals can survive the bad environmental conditions and they will be dominant in the populations.
Genetic diversity is the basis of having different types of fruits, vegetables, and animals.
Due to this genetic diversity, different types of fruits, vegetables, and animals are provided to people and animals. Therefore people and other species can consume different types of fruits and vegetables as their food. This is an economic benefit that is provided by genetic diversity.
Different genes available in nature represent different characteristic features that can be introduced to other species
As a result of genetic diversity, there are different types of genes in nature. Due to some types of genes
- Plants are more resistant to diseases
- Plants are more resistant to pest
- Plants can adapt to the changing environment
- Plants give higher yields
Using modern technology these genes are combined together and have done many production improvements. Therefore now there are many plant species that provide high yields and also they are resistant to diseases/ pests/ bad environmental conditions. Therefore human beings and other species can obtain food without any obstacles. This is another economic benefit of genetic diversity.
Also, some plant species are modified by introducing genes that help to increase the nutrient level of the plant species. Then people can get the essential nutrients easily this is another economic benefit.
Therefore providing food, providing disease/pest-resistant plants and nutrient plants/animals are the economic benefits of genetic diversity.
Economic benefits of the genetic diversity
Provide different types of vegetables from the same family
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are different types of vegetables but they all belong to the same species which is known as Brassica oleracea. Due to this genetic diversity, human beings and animals have obtained different types of vegetables.
Disease-resistant rice varieties provide a higher yield
The disease resistance gene in wild rice varieties was incorporated into the normal rice varieties and has obtained disease resistant higher yield rice varieties. Also using modern technology pest-resistant rice varieties were obtained. As an example, Bacterial blight [Xanthomonas oryzae] resistant rice varieties were developed.
Insect-resistant crop varieties have been introduced
Insect-resistant cotton, insect resistant cowpea was developed by incorporating the insect-resistant genes which were obtained from wild varsities.
Climate change-resistant crop varieties have been introduced
Climate change impacts including temperature changes and the change of pattern and intensity of rainfall affect crop production systems. The water scarcity which is derived from drought impacts cultivations including paddy, maize, and cotton. Currently, drought-resistant crop varieties have been developed.
Nutrient-rich crop varieties provide a healthy diet
Golden banana was developed by adding vitamin A.
Avoid diseases cause by different pathogens
The grassy stunt which is a virus disease that affects the rice varieties was completely eradicated from the world, by using
Different varieties of plants as pharmaceuticals
Genetic diversity provides different medicinal plants and raw materials for pharmaceuticals.
In conclusion, genetic diversity as a part of biodiversity provides different economic benefits while providing environmental benefits.