GEF

Unit 5  |  The Importance of Biodiversity 111 5.3  The Benefits of Biodiversity to Humans Maintaining high levels of biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Ecosystem services consist of all of the plants, animals, and microorganisms we rely upon for food, medicine, building materials, and other uses. Scientists regularly discover wild species extraordinarily valuable to humans. An example is the rosy periwinkle, a shrub native to the forests of Madagascar. Researchers discovered that two compounds from the rosy periwinkle plant are extremely effective at treating childhood leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease, a type of cancer. Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean, offers a unique ecosystem that is home to many valuable species, such as Lemurs. SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS Think of an ecosystem, such as the fields of corn that cover large areas of Midwestern United States. A severe drought or pest infestation can easily wipe out hundreds of acres of corn. In contrast, a diverse ecosystem that contains a wide range of plants, animals, and other organisms stands a better chance at withstanding threats. ?  DID YOU KNOW The cheetah is an example of low genetic diversity. Living in small and isolated popula- tions, cheetahs have been forced to mate with closely related cheetahs. Genetic studies have shown chee- tahs share about 99 percent of their genetic material, compared with an average of 80 percent in other mam- mals. This has caused more inherited diseases in the cheetah population.