Economic and Environmental Benefits of Biodiversity

A 11 ecosystems and human 50- cieties depend on a healthy and productive natural environment that contains diverse plant and anima! species. The earth's biota is composed of an estimated 10 million species of plants, animals, and microhes (Pimm er a1. 1995). In the United Stares, thefe are an estimated 750,000 species, of which small organisms, such as arthropods and microbes, make up 95%.1 Although approximately 60% of the world's food supply comes frorn riee, wheat, and carn Some plants and animals provide humans wirh essential medicines and orher diverse, useful products. For instance, some plants and microbes help to degrade chemical pollutants and organic wastes and recycle nutrients through~ out the ecosystem.