环境科学概论第六章生物及其生物多样性.pptVIP

* This table shows some important medicines that have been discovered in fungi, bacteria, and plants. Perhaps the most important, historically and even today, is penicillin. It was discovered in 1928, and was the first substance found that could stop bacterial infections. It is still a very effective antibiotic. (It is a common fungus (the penecillium fungus) that grows on bread.) Many other useful products (particularly antibiotics) have been discovered in plants and animals. All we have to do is find them and figure out how to exploit them. * Another major benefit of biodiversity for humans is that the diversity of nature actually lifts the human spirit and contributes tremendously to our enjoyment of life. Our enjoyment of life through being in nature has spawned an industry in and of itself. For instance, if we take Washington state as an example, we see that an enormous amount of money is contributed to the economy by people who come here to look at the biodiversity and the beauty of life (orcas, Douglas-fir forests, salmon, and so on.). The quality that outdoor recreation adds to the lives of people who come to Washington is worth more than the money spent by the state developing that recreation. In some cases, outdoor recreation is the largest part of a states or countrys economy. Ecotourism (tourism that supports the maintenance of things like biodiversity and helps to preserve the ecosystems within a country) has only scratched at the surface of its potential development. For instance, the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania and Kenya (a primo place to go as an ecotourist) have been preserved and ecotourism is the chief industry here. There would be no industry if people were unable to go and look at the enormous herds of animals on the Serengeti. There are other places in the world that have the potential for ecotourism to be developed in such a way that it doesnt disturb nature and can actually play a part in the preservation of nature. Unfortunatel