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This includes its role in providing ecosystem services - the benefits that humans get from ecosystems. Biodiversity plays a major role in the productivity and functioning of ecosystems, affects their ability to provide ecosystem services. [2] For example, biodiversity is a source of food, medication, and materials used in industry. Recreation ...
A study highlighted in a 2022 Nature article underscores the broader climate benefits of tropical forests beyond carbon storage. Tropical forests cool the planet by one-third of a degree through biophysical mechanisms such as humidifying the air and releasing cooling chemicals, in addition to their role in extracting carbon dioxide from the air.
Many foods originally came from tropical forests, and are still mostly grown on plantations in regions that were formerly primary forest. [39] Also, plant-derived medicines are commonly used for fever, fungal infections, burns, gastrointestinal problems, pain, respiratory problems, and wound treatment. [40]
Worldwide more human beings gain their livelihood from agriculture than any other endeavor; the majority are self-employed subsistence farmers living in the tropics [citation needed]. While growing food for local consumption is the core of tropical agriculture, cash crops (normally crops grown for export) are also included in the definition.
The human population exploits and depends on many animal and plant species for food, mainly through agriculture, but also by exploiting wild populations, notably of marine fish. [10] [11] [12] Livestock animals are raised for meat across the world; they include (2011) around 1.4 billion cattle, 1.2 billion sheep and 1 billion domestic pigs. [12 ...
Promoting diversity of foods and species consumed in human diets, in particular, has potential co-benefits for public health and sustainable food systems perspective. Food biodiversity provides necessary nutrients for quality diets and is an essential part of local food systems, cultures, and food security. From a conservation point of view ...
Rainforests are disappearing across the world, and at an alarming rate in Brazil. Since the 1980s, more than 153,000 square miles of Amazonian rainforest has fallen victim to deforestation. [6] Brazil has helped feed the growing global demand for food supply of soybeans and beef with the newly cleared land. [6]
The benefits of mycorrhizal fungi interacting with plant roots to improve nutrient absorption among other benefits compared to a plant without this symbiotic relationship. An important interaction in forest ecosystems is the mycorrhizal network , which consists of fungi and plants that share symbiotic relationships. [ 18 ]