The Value of Biodiversity - Essay Example

The Value of Biodiversity Biodiversity entails the degree of life variations. In certain aspects, biodiversity refers to ecosystem variations or genetic variations, which are within a given biome, area or even a particular planet. Generally, the terrestrial biodiversity are usually high near the equator. This is because of the high primary productivity and warm climates around the equator (Primack, 2012). On the other hand, the marine biodiversity is usually high along the coastal lines in Western Pacific where the ocean surface temperatures are high generally.

In most cases, biodiversity tends to cluster around hotspots and it has been increasing as time goes by. However, this aspect is projected to slow down in future (Primack, 2012). Biodiversity values are generally classified into two different categories thus the direct and the indirect values. The direct values in this case include food resources such as vegetables, grains and fruits that are obtained from plantations (Primack, 2012). It also includes animal resources such as milk and milk products, eggs and fish.

The direct values are further divided into the productive and consumptive values. On the other hand, the indirect values are the values, which tend to provide benefits, which are indirect to human beings. In most cases, they support the biological life existence. They include the ethical values, cultural values, environmental service values, aesthetic values and option values (Primack, 2012).Existence value As part of the indirect biodiversity values, the existence value entails the benefit, which is often reflected as a well-being sense whereby one simply knows and acknowledges that marine biodiversity exists.

Hageman (1985), states that it does not matter if the marine biodiversity that exists is never experienced or utilized, people tend to benefit from its existence in a certain way. In simple terms, existence values are generally unusual and slightly controversial economic value class that reflects on the benefits in which people receive from the knowledge of an environmental resource (Primack, 2012). Some of the common examples of the existence values include Grand Canyon, Antarctica, endangered species and some of marine existence.

In biodiversity values, the existence value remains the most prominent example of the non-use value. This is because the value does not need that utility be derived from direct resource use. The existence value is the utility, which comes from simple knowledge about the existence of a certain resource (Primack, 2012). The existence value remains a common concept, which is mostly used to refer to fundamental or intrinsic values of natural or environmental assets. Alternatively, it is a benefit value, which is mostly derived from existence of natural assets.

An example of this is a tree. In most cases, people value trees in various ways including its value use thus for timber (Primack, 2012). On the other hand, marine life also forms an example of a perfect existence value. In this case, the cold-water corals form part of the marine life under the existence value of biodiversity. The fact that most people in the public never get the chance to see the cold water coral, some people are always interested in them or tend to benefit from the existence of the cold water coral.

Therefore, this means that the existence value remains an important aspect when it comes to biodiversity (Primack, 2012). ReferencePrimack, R. B. (2012). A primer of conservation biology. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers.