Question

The narrowly utilitarian arguments for biodiversity conservation include which of the following from the given list?
(i) Industrial products like dyes, lubricants
(ii) Ecosystem services like photosynthesis
(iii) Pollinators layer of bees, birds and bats
(iv) Firewood, fibre and construction material
(v) The aesthetic pleasure of walking through thick woods
(vi) Products of medicinal importance
(vii) Watching spring flowers in full bloom

A. (i),(ii),(v) and (vii)
B. (ii),(iii),(v) and (vii)
C. (i), (iv) and (vi)
D. (iii),(iv),(vi) and (vii)

Answer 1

Hint: The occurrences of different types of genes, gene pools, species, habitats, and ecosystems in a particular place and various parts of the earth is called biodiversity. The term biodiversity was given by Edward Wilson.

Complete Answer: Narrow utilitarian arguments for conservation of biodiversity are that human beings derive direct economic benefits from nature, like food, firewood, fiber, construction material, industrial products( resins, gums, dyes, tannins) and medicinally important products. More than twenty-five percent of the drugs are derived from plants and about twenty-five thousand species of plants are used by native people as traditional medicines.

So the correct options are (C).

Additional Information: The other two reasons or arguments for conserving the biodiversity are;
Broadly utilitarian arguments are
Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining and sustaining the supply of goods and services from various species as well as ecological systems.
Ethical reasons are:
There are thousands of plants, animals, and microbes on this earth that are not useless. Everyone has some intrinsic value even if it is not of any economic value to us.
It is, therefore, our moral duty to ensure the well-being of all the living creatures for the utilization of future generations.

Note: The different ecological services provided are;
Amazon forest is estimated to contribute twenty percent of the total oxygen in the atmosphere on earth.
 Ecosystems provide pollinators like bees, bumblebees, birds, and bats which pollinate plants to form fruits and seeds.
Aesthetic pleasures like birds watching, spring flowers in full bloom, walking through the thick forest, walking up to a bulbul’s song are some other benefits of the ecosystem.