How is the sustainability of a region tied to its biodiversity?

The diversity of life on our planet is significant for the basic planetary life support systems. Ecosystem services that nature provides us freely. For example, drinking water, crop pollination, nutrient cycling and climate regulation, all rely on biodiversity.

In many parts of the world, plants are the main source of medicine. Additionally, many of our most important pharmaceutical drugs are made from the compounds discovered only in specific plants or organisms. It means that future drug industry depends on the species that have yet to be studied.