Question 26: Life on Earth is in the throes of a new wave of mass extinction, unlike anything since the demise of the dinosaurs. In the last 500 years, 844 species are known to have died out, and up to 16,000 others are now known to be threatened. Conservationists argue that humans have an ethical obligation to protect other species. Diversity and natural beauty are highly prized by mankind, and that biodiversity is a vital resource: we depend on sustaining to provide food, oxygen and natural resources, recycle waste and fertilize soil for agriculture. The total value of services provided to man by nature has been estimated at $33 trillion annually. Plants and animals are also an essential source of new foods and medicines worldwide. Preserving species could help protect us from disease. Natural disasters and processes were behind the five major mass extinctions in geological history, but the current “sixth extinction” is being caused by the success of one species- humans. The six billion (and counting) people crowding the Earth, are driving out biodiversity in a variety of ways. Humans began to destroy a major way about 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture. But within the last 100,000 years, the hunting and burning practices of people, along with climate change, drove many large mammals to extinction. However, the most common reason for extinction is habitat loss. Ecosystems from wetlands to prairies and rain forests to coral reefs are being cleared or degraded for crops, cattle, roads and development. Even fragmenting habitats with roads or dams can make them more vulnerable. Why do plants and animals play an essential part in our life?
The answer is NO
Why do plants and animals play an important role in our lives?
A: Because they give us dinosaurs
B: Because they provide us with food and medicine
C: Because they are threatened
D: Because they are natural beauty.
Example: Plants and animals are also an essential source of new foods and medicines worldwide.
===============