Kel Norris Entry #8: Reading "Biodiversity and human well-being: an essential link for sustainable development"

 One of the sources I'm looking into for my term paper is a scientific paper about the integral importance of biodiversity on human well-being. According to the paper, formal organizations, while generally prioritizing human well-being, often tend to underestimate the necessity of biodiversity as it relates to human well-being. The researchers involved in this paper found that the link between biodiversity and human well-being varies depending on the context as well as how both terms are defined, but they are generally linked nonetheless.

The paper also describes biodiversity as an "environmental commodity" like clean air and water. "Biodiversity" is loosely defined in this paper, but does encompass genes, traits, and species. Based on this inclusive definition, I am prompted to wonder how each of these aspects of biodiversity independently affects human well-being. I know gene diversity benefits health, but I am curious as to how diversity in animal species contributes to human well-being.

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