The Role of Sustainable Remediation in the Preservation of Biodiversity: Areas of Opportunities

The Role of Sustainable Remediation in the Preservation of Biodiversity: Areas of Opportunities

Biodiversity is defined as the concentration and variety of plant and animal life forms on earth. According to Emani, “it is a vital corner stone for both the survival and welfare of our existence”. This is so because biodiversity provides an array of ecosystem services such as production of oxygen, sequestration of carbon, fixing of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), purification of air and water, stabilization of soil, and provision of biomass for food and energy. Biodiversity also supplies cultural benefits such as locations for recreation or aesthetic appreciation, societal feast, religious and ceremonial events. Moreover, biodiversity has economic value such as provision of food, fuel, fibers, pharmaceutical and building materials. All these serve as a source of income for those that harvest them. In other words, biodiversity has ecological, economic and sociocultural benefits.