The ecosystem is made up of complex relationships between living organisms and the physical environment. The association keeps changing from time to time making it very difficult to predict. Ecosystems form the machines which supply human needs when various critical conditions are fulfilled. Human beings have tried to change ecosystems to satisfy their requirements better. For instance, some less desired species are replaced with commercially valuable species which can produce at a constant rate. The primary challenge is that when such adjustments are made the complicated relationship between the ecosystem and the critical role played but biodiversity is ignored. The result brings catastrophic consequences. People mostly survive on the functions done by the world’s ecosystems. The ecosystem produces services that human beings cannot afford to replace with technology at any cost. For example, the ecosystem produces raw materials, foods, climate regulation, detoxification, and purification of air and medicines among others (Hooper & Cardinale, 2012). Human beings know very little about ecosystem functionality. The questions to some of our problems could be answered by the biodiversity in future. Taking care of biodiversity is the best gift we can give to future generations. Despite the many controversies surrounding GMOs, research shows that GMO utilization is the road to the world’s food security. Intrinsic and inherent value is the value that is contained within an organism or an item. An organism usually has a value for itself and in itself. The value included in an item or organism is not dependable on or in the interest of anybody else. Inherent value is the value found in an item or organism, which can have moral, symbolic, spiritual, aesthetic, or cultural significance. Many drugs used in the 21st century originate from plants. When chemical drugs were not conventional in the past, many people depended on herbal medicines. The herbal experts majorly the elderly in society would prepare herbal medicines which are used to cure diseases. Although modern man questions the effectiveness of the herbal medicine used in the past, the truth of the matter is that it served a purpose, and people got healed. Through biodiversity, human beings and animals have a source of food. For instance, before the introduction of agriculture, early man is believed to have lived in the forest. The only survival activity was hunting and gathering wild fruits. The ecosystem made the life of early man bearable in the forests (Tilman, 1997). Without the ecosystem functions, the life of man on earth could be almost impossible. The modern pharmaceutical industry still acknowledges the importance of biodiversity in the manufacture of artificial drugs. There are many brands of current medicines extracted from plant compounds. They include codeine, atropine, vincristine, and aspirin. Although many modern medicines are now synthesized, they were initially derived from plants. Human beings have turned to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) because of the increased populations and food demands. The motive is to produce sufficient farm products which can adequately feed the world‘s population. One of the ways of enhancing sustainable agriculture is the use of GMOs. Genetic engineering has been embraced as a way of ensuring food security globally. Genetically modified foods refer to organisms created through the manipulation of DNA to serve as food for plants and animals. The technology uses the current molecular biology techniques. The laboratory modification of plants enhances the desired traits like increased nutritional value or resistance to pests and diseases. The genetic changes have resulted in improved crop production. Nutrition has been enhanced through the genetic modifications made by scientists and researchers. With the social and environmental challenges being faced in the 21st century, the best technology and science must be applied to sustain the people. Biotechnology crops have helped many people across the world. It has also provided economic benefits to many people. Biotechnology application in agriculture has assisted in preventing soil erosion and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It has also helped to minimize the use of lethal agricultural chemicals. The usage of biotechnology has helped the world to provide enough food for its ever-growing population. Despite many people drawing controversies on GMOs, the technology has made it possible for modified plants to grow and produce in areas where naturally they could not have grown due to the ecological conditions. Cheaper foods have also been made available. Farming is made easy, and production is high and less expensive. The benefit is not to the average consumer alone as it has some global implications. Cheaper food has made it easy to feed the population across the globe. GMOs are different from naturally occurring organisms and crops because GMOs are created in laboratories using biotechnology. Traditionally, genetic crossing was done through cross-breeding activities. In GOMs, the desired trait is extracted and maximized while naturally occurring sets up the ecosystem to determine the entire process and productivity. The controversy facing GMO usage is the interference of nature. Many people do not support GMO technology, and they argue that nature should be allowed to take its course without human interruptions (Díaz & Fargione, 2006). Humans interfering with natural biodiversity started a long time ago. Human beings interfere with biodiversity by cutting down trees, animals, and plant cross-breeding, clearing land, constructing dams and gabions across rivers, and immunization programs and medications among others. Although the benefits of GMOs are many, some research shows that some GMOs' long-term usage may have some health risks to human beings. Fishing and aquaculture are uncertain as a result of climate change. Fish populations and distribution are likely to be affected in natural water bodies. Human activities have altered aquatic biodiversity. People have started rearing fish in pods and providing the fish with artificial foods. The fish cannot have natural lives while in the ponds. The new practice is aimed at increasing fish production using biotechnology strategies. Removing fish from their natural setting has affected aquatic biodiversity. Fishing has relatively reduced the number of fish in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Artificially produced fish are flooding the world markets. There are strategies that can be used to regulate the adverse effects of GMOs and fisheries. For instance, procedural approval processes should be set by all countries. Genetic crops for consumption and export should be investigated well by the governments to ensure that they are very safe for consumption. Fisheries should also be checked, and the people who deal with fisheries for domestic and commercial use should obtain a license. This will help to control possible health risks associated with GMOs and fisheries. Another strategy is adopting labeling policies. Labeling allows the consumer to know the particular ingredients composing the GMO product. The labeling also should give information about the health factors of the product. In some cases, the label is used as a warning showing the potential health hazards of the product. These strategies will control the quality of the GMOs produced (Naeem, 2002). They will also help consumers to have a better understanding of the product they are buying and the potential risks which may occur as a result of using the product. My strategies will affect the manner in which many people use biotechnology. Biotechnology has made people focus on massive production and profits while ignoring the inherent aspects of biodiversity. The profitability of GMOs has become the only focus, and people have forgotten to preserve biodiversity for future generations. The best priceless gift we can give to future generations is well-conserved biodiversity. My strategies will ensure that in the case of fisheries only licensed people engage in fisheries. This will make it easy to control fisheries and aquatic biodiversity. Labeling policies will also conserve biodiversity because it means that the use of biotechnology will be regulated and done according to structured procedures. The ecosystem is the solution to many world problems. Everybody has a role in taking care of the ecosystem and biodiversity. An improved ecosystem leads to improved lives. Human beings should look for more environmentally friendly ways of doing their activities to take care of the ecosystem and biodiversity for a better tomorrow.
References
Díaz, S., Fargione, J., Chapin III, F. S., & Tilman, D. (2006). Biodiversity loss threatens human well-being. PLoS biology , 4 (8), e277.
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Hooper, D. U., Adair, E. C., Cardinale, B. J., Byrnes, J. E., Hungate, B. A., Matulich, K. L., ... & O’Connor, M. I. (2012). A global synthesis reveals biodiversity loss as a major driver of ecosystem change. Nature , 486 (7401), 105.
Naeem, S. (2002). Ecosystem consequences of biodiversity loss: the evolution of a paradigm. Ecology , 83 (6), 1537-1552.
Tilman, D. (1997). Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Nature's Services: societal dependence on natural ecosystems , 93-112.
