Sustainability Is the Goal
There is so much that happens below the surface of the earth that we do not see or pay attention to. Every species and creature on this planet and in the soil has a role to play when it comes to our sustainability. They are here to partake in a partnership to create sustainability to care for our mother earth. A healthy ecosystem can better withstand and recover from a variety of natural disasters, produce better vegetations, fight off carbon mitigation and help prevent the onset of diseases.
With the understanding that there is a reason for all things there is nothing insignificant when it comes to environmental sustainability, no matter how small or insignificant. Microorganisms for example; are not things we spend our days thinking about, but; *Microbes despite their small size have a huge impact on our lives, therefore understanding their role in the environment as important to the maintenance of our planet as preserving the diversity of plants and animals. The healthier the ecosystem, the longer natural sustainability there will be.
What Is Biodiversity?
What is biodiversity, why is it important? And why does it matter? Let’s start with the basics and work our way up from there. Biodiversity simply means the variety of life on Earth. The wide range of animals, insects and microscopic creatures that we cannot even see. They all fall under the umbrella that is biodiversity.
This term not only refers to the wide variety of creatures we co-exist with but also the different ecosystems of the planet to which they live in. These different ecosystems include deserts, rainforests, and coral reefs. A lot of times, these ecosystems need the creatures that reside within them to maintain them. But, it is a mutual partnership. Each species within the ecosystem, no matter how small, plays a vital role in helping the environment stay balanced. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms, which takes us back to why sustainability is key to our successful survival and thus why biodiversity is important.
The Importance of Biodiversity
The world is made up of checks and balances, and that applies to our ecosystem. Biodiversity’s vital role is to sustain the balance of the world, giving each species a purpose.
**Each species in an ecosystem has a specific niche—a role to play to increase ecosystem productivity;
Support a larger number of plant species and, therefore, a greater variety of crops.
Protect freshwater resources.
Promote soil formation and protection.
Provide for nutrient storage and recycling.
Aid in breaking down pollutants.
Contribute to climate stability.
Speed recovery from natural disasters.
Provide more food resources.
Provide more medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs.
Offer environments for recreation and tourism.
Biodiversity reminds us that we are a unit. A lot of times, these ecosystems need the creatures that reside within them to maintain them. But, it is a mutual partnership. Each species within the ecosystem, no matter how small, plays a vital role in helping the environment stay balanced. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms, which is why biodiversity is critically important.
Just like the species that work so hard to maintain their ecosystem, we as humans must work together to maintain a peaceful balance in the world. It is not every man for himself, we are a collective. There is a place for each of us on this planet, there is a reason we are here. It is not just to exist. It is to take part in something much bigger than just us.
Why are horses and horse grazing key to biodiversity?
Like many animals who have special jobs within their ecosystem, horses play a key role in environmental sustainability and contributing to increasing biodiversity. Wild horses are grazers, they can survive solely on eating grass. But did you know that when horses graze they can help the land in a variety of ways? Grasslands will tend to accumulate large amounts of dead plant material that can reduce the growth of natural grasses. Having wild horses grazing on these grasslands actually clean’s unwanted foliage on the land in ways that humans cannot.
Not only does horse grazing help land management, but it also benefits other wildlife. Many species depend on vegetation that is managed by horses. One example of this is the ground squirrels. These squirrels choose to colonize grasslands that have been grazed. These areas are then easier for them to burrow in which in turn also helps frogs, burrowing owls, and badgers. There are many other examples of critical wild horse contributions to biodiversity. But the important takeaway from all of this is that Wild horses play a vital role in helping to build and maintain biodiversity in our ecosystem.
Human Intervention, the real predator
We build cars that pollute the air and create plastics that destroy the oceans. We overgraze our public rangelands for greed, and we drill and frack for oil on these lands in the hopes of creating greater energy independence in a global market that cares little about our environmental sustainability. As humans, we like to think that we know best, and are better than other animals. However, the truth is, the planet and its inhabitants would be much better off without man’s intervention. We see the planet as a man’s playground to take and do what we wish.
This attitude will only allow us a limited amount of time before all is lost. Our goals to manage and re-mange the perfect systems that nature has already put into place will only work with the participation of keystone species such as our Wild horses. America’s public rangelands offer some of the best pasture grasses for wild horses, and enabling them to roam freely on these lands will help to build sustainability.
We now understand that biodiversity is necessary for the natural longevity and life of our planet. Wild horses are a keystones species known to help build back biodiversity and sustainability in our environment. While we are experiencing the highest rates of species extinction in America’s history due to habitat loss and in turn loss of biodiversity, we are also losing our wild horses, a critical component to maintaining our environmental sustainability. All things are of critical importance to our planet’s environmental sustainability. Our wild horses are one of the oldest and most important contributors in helping to create biodiversity. Our very future is dependent on our wild horses and our lands, speak up for there survival it is our very own.
*Microbial Biodiversity and Sustainable Development By Nura A. Abboud | December 20, 2017, | Environment, Sustainable Development
** exploring the environment, climate change NASA
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