Which of the following statements accurately describe the narrowly utilitarian arguments for conserving biodiversity?

I. Ecosystem services such as photosynthesis.

II. Industrial products like dyes and lubricants.

III. Enjoy the sight of spring flowers in full bloom.

IV. Finding aesthetic pleasure in walking through dense woods.

V. Utilizing resources like fibre, firewood, and construction material.

VI. Harnessing products of medicinal importance.

II, V, and VI

The correct answer is Option (2) - II, V, and VI

The narrowly utilitarian arguments for conserving biodiversity are evident due to the numerous direct economic benefits that humans derive from nature. These benefits include essential resources like food (cereals, pulses, fruits), firewood, fibre, and construction materials. Additionally, various industrial products such as tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, and perfumes are obtained from natural sources.

Moreover, a substantial proportion of drugs available in the global market are derived from plants, with around 25% of drugs having plant origins. Traditional medicines used by indigenous communities worldwide rely on approximately 25,000 species of plants. The potential for discovering more medicinally valuable plants in tropical rainforests through bioprospecting, which involves exploring molecular, genetic, and species-level diversity for economically valuable products, holds immense promise.

As a result, nations endowed with rich biodiversity have the opportunity to achieve significant economic gains by investing in bioprospecting and exploring the diverse resources offered by their natural environments.