Facts and figures on biodiversity 01 January 2012 | Article
Discover more about biodiversity and its impact on our lives.
Species - our food and medecine - While most people depend
mainly on domesticated species for their dietary needs, some 200
million depend on wild species for at least part of their food.
- More than 60 wild species have been used to improve the
world’s 13 major crops by providing genes for pest resistance,
improved yield, and enhanced nutrition. - Since agriculture
began about 12,000 years ago, roughly 7,000 plant species have
been used for human consumption. - Amphibians play a vital role
in ecosystems, are indicators of environmental health, and are
‘hopping pharmacies’ being used in the search for new medicines.
Yet 41% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction. -
In some countries, medicinal plants and animals provide most of
the drugs people use, and even in technologically-advanced
countries like the USA, half of the 100 most-prescribed drugs
originate from wild species. -