Why is biodiversity essential for Earth?

Are we truly on the brink of a sixth mass extinction?

It is not just me saying this; the final chapter—”Biodiversity and Conservation”—of the Class 12 NCERT Biology textbook states that the rate at which species (whether plants or animals) are going extinct is 100 to 1,000 times faster than normal. The direct cause of this is human activity.
You see, our Earth has witnessed five mass extinctions in the past, resulting in the loss of numerous species; however, the situation is different this time because the rate of extinction is extremely high.
Let us examine how many mass extinctions have occurred on Earth, what caused them, and how many species were completely wiped out in each event.

We observe that there are still people who fail to realize the magnitude of the crisis facing our environment—a crisis pushing us gradually toward a cataclysm, or what could be termed a mass extinction of life forms.
But what are the signs pointing to this? That is precisely what we will discuss in today’s show. Let’s also find out what else is in store.
What are the indicators of this mass extinction?
If humanity were to be wiped off the face of the Earth, it would be a monumental event for us, yet merely a minor blip in the planet’s long history.

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Perhaps it would suffice to simply state that the species known as Homo sapiens existed on Earth for a certain period before going extinct—much like the dinosaurs.
And like countless other creatures. Of all the life forms that have ever existed on Earth, more than 99% have already gone extinct, and the process continues today.
The problem, however, is that human activity has accelerated the rate of species extinction to hundreds of times its natural pace.
Our home—the “Blue Planet”—is unique; as far as we know, nowhere else in the universe do conditions exist that are as conducive to supporting life as they are here on Earth.
From the tiniest organisms to massive, powerful creatures, and from a minuscule seed sprouting from the soil to forests spanning millions of square kilometers, life exists here in myriad forms—be it plants, animals, or the microbes we have only just begun to understand.
Scientists estimate that Earth is home to around 8 million species (in which 1.7 to 1.8 million species have been reorted and discoverd, named and classified), yet three-quarters of them remain unknown to us humans.
Old species die out while new ones emerge; this is a fundamental law of nature. However, over the past 500 million years, life on Earth has witnessed five mass extinction events—times when 75% to 95% of the planet’s species were wiped out in a single stroke.
Scientists call this “mass extinction”—a massive die-off of species.

Time Line of 5 Mass Extinction of Biodiversity

1-The first such event occurred 440 million years ago, when the formation of glaciers caused sea levels to plummet, wiping out 86% of the species existing at the time.
2-The second mass extinction took place about 360 million years ago; oxygen depletion in the oceans and environmental changes led to the loss of approximately 75% of marine species.
3-But the most devastating mass extinction occurred around 250 million years ago, when more than 95% of marine life and a vast number of land-based species perished.
4-The fourth mass extinction was triggered by volcanic eruptions about 210 million years ago, resulting in the loss of 80% of species.
5-Earth witnessed its final mass extinction event roughly 65 million years ago, when 76% of species—including the dinosaurs—vanished.

Now, many scientists argue that Earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction, driven not by natural disasters, but by humans.
Our insatiable hunger for energy is imperiling life on Earth; rampant carbon emissions are causing global temperatures to rise.
This is making survival increasingly difficult for many species inhabiting the water, land, and air, as their habitats are being destroyed.

References of-Research Reports

In 2019, a comprehensive report prepared by approximately 145 experts from 50 countries warned that around one million species face the threat of extinction in the coming decades.

The 2024 Living Planet Report by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) states that wildlife populations have declined by approximately 73% over the 50-year period between 1970 and 2020.
This research monitored around 35,000 populations across 5,495 species of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles.
The steepest decline—nearly 85%—was observed in freshwater species populations.
This was followed by a 69% decline in terrestrial species and a 56% drop in marine species populations.
Compared to the natural rate at which species would go extinct without human interference with the environment, species are currently disappearing 100 to 1,000 times faster.
Some scientists even suggest that if this trend continues, 50% of all species on Earth could go extinct by the end of this century.
However, a section of the scientific community maintains that Earth has not yet entered a sixth mass extinction event.
Nevertheless, a crisis of extinction has certainly emerged, and it could potentially escalate to the level of a mass extinction in the future.

Conclusion

This is our duty to protect our biodiversity at each level. We cannot simply shrug off our responsibility by saying, “What difference can I make? This is a job for governments and the entire world.” We must take the initiative ourselves.

Solution

Let me suggest a very simple solution: plant just one tree and care for it until it is fully established; then plant another, and keep repeating this process for as long as you are able to do so.