Throughout human history, our societies have been dependant on biodiversity. From the food we eat and the medicines we take, to industrial materials such as timber, fibres, oils and dyes, biodiversity has always supplied us with countless products. Also, biodiversity plays a vital role in delivering "ecosystem services", without which we could not survive. These ecosystem services, which include the recycling of nutrients and the regulation of the atmosphere, maintain the fertility of our soils and oceans, and ensure the supply of clean water and air. All species play a part in the ecosystem in which they live, and the loss of biodiversity may stop those ecosystems from functioning normally. Human activities are causing species to go extinct and are also threatening our supply of essential ecosystem services. For example, forests are being logged, industrial waste is poisoning the oceans, and the burning of fossil fuels is causing global warming and damaging ecosystems. By conserving biodiversity we will be helping to protect our planet and the life-support mechanisms upon which present and future generations depend. Go back