Question

Describe the consumptive use value of biodiversity as food, drugs and medicines, fuel, and fibre with suitable examples.

Answer 1

Biodiversity refers to the presence of different types of natural resources and life forms on earth. Biodiversity contributes to the production and formation of various natural and synthetic products by the use of natural resources.

Complete answer:
Biodiversity conservation is a very important measure to control biodiversity loss because biodiversity is very important to fulfil day to day demand by use of natural resources. Natural resources like soil, water, and sunlight help in the formation of plants which play an important role in the production of various things.
Food is very important for every living organism for its survival. 85 per cent of food is obtained from more than 20 plant species and the remaining food demand is fulfilled from livestock and fishes. Wheat, rice, and maize fulfil two-third of human food.
Drugs and medicines are a useful substance which works therapeutically in various types of organisms. 25 per cent of drugs are natural which obtain from more than 100 species and remain synthetic which is prepared inside the laboratory. Morphine, codeine, quinine, taxol, reserpine, etc all are plant drugs.
Fuels like fossil fuels obtain from plants and fossils of organisms in the form of petroleum. Coal, oils, and natural gas come under primary fuels, its formation takes millions of years therefore it is considered as limited natural resources.
Fibres obtain from cotton, jute, flax, hemp, coir, agave, etc which come under natural fibres obtained from plants or its parts.

Note: Drugs and medicine are two different terms, drugs use as medicine for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease whereas medicine helps in treating disease. Botanochemicals are medicines prepared by therapeutically useful plants. These medicines are prepared chemically and the chemicals obtain from plants are known as biochemicals.