The loss of genetic diversity is also causing species around the world to lose their environmental resilience.
When discussing biodiversity conservation, in addition to protecting the widest possible variety of species on Earth, the diversity of individual species is also key.
"Genetic diversity" refers to the countless characteristics hidden in the genomes of every organism, which record the biological information left over from millions of years of evolution. This information and evolution are imprinted in the DNA code of organisms, allowing them to survive on Earth.
The greater the genetic diversity of a species, the greater its resilience and ability to withstand adversity in the face of pests and diseases, climate change, and other stresses. In the event of a disaster or extreme climate event, rich genetic diversity helps ecosystems recover more quickly. Conversely, a lack of genetic diversity can put a species at risk of extinction, even if its population is stable.
While nature is facing the challenges of climate change and rapid biodiversity loss, the loss of genetic diversity is also evident. "Genetic diversity is invisible to us," says Sean Hoban, a biologist at the Morton Arboretum in the United States. "Many times, genetic diversity has already declined before a species' population is significantly impacted."
Loss of crop genetic diversity raises alarm for food security
The impact of genetic diversity loss is best understood through our daily food supply. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that over the past century, global crop diversity has decreased by 75% as farmers pursue higher yields by growing genetically identical crops.
Most of the food we eat today comes from a handful of plant and animal species. A staggering 66% of the world's food crop production comes from just nine crops: wheat, soybeans, potatoes, and rice. Of the approximately 7,000 endemic livestock species, hundreds have already disappeared, and 26% are facing extinction.
Current food production systems are harming the biodiversity of crops, posing a significant risk to future food security crises. Unsustainable farming practices contribute to genetic uniformity, while monocultures expose crops to pests and diseases, leading to soil degradation and potentially crop failures.
Furthermore, insufficient conservation of wild relatives and the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats have made it difficult for different populations to mix and generate greater genetic diversity. Scientists believe that the continued decline in crop genetic diversity has reached a point where it threatens food security and must be addressed.
Seed banks and traditional wisdom: Conservators of genetic resources
To address the issue of genetic diversity loss, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have all included the conservation of genetic diversity of seeds, crops, livestock, and their wild relatives as action plans.
There are currently thousands of seed banks around the world that preserve plant seeds from all over the world; botanical gardens collect and display various plants; local farmers grow local crop varieties, and livestock farmers raise traditional livestock breeds. From farmers to scientists, all are actors in the preservation of genetic resources and future biological information.
The ancestral knowledge of local farmers is the most local conservator of crop genetic diversity. Through cross-breeding, they select the strongest strains, preserving genes that can withstand heat, drought, floods, and freezing temperatures. The Potato Museum in the Peruvian Andes houses potato seed stocks and their genetic diversity, preserved through generations of cultivation by local Inca farmers.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is considered a Noah's Ark for agriculture, housing over 600 million seeds from approximately 1.05 million food crop varieties from around the world. The vault's mission is to preserve seed stocks, ensuring a chance for restoration in the event of extinction due to disasters or extreme events. Important vegetable stocks and precious legume seeds from Taiwan's indigenous peoples have also been sent to the vault for storage.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/234958)
