The necessity of biodiversity

I recently read Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemna” and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver. Among other great points, they point out the importance of biodiversity i.e. planting heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers and raising different varieties of animals. For example, most turkeys raised in the U.S. are bred to enhance breast meat and are so top heavy that they cannot even walk. Moreover, these turkeys can no longer naturally reproduce as they have been artificially inseminated for so long. If this strain is wiped out by disease, we need alternatives. Not to mention the fact that heirloom animals and vegetables taste better and are better for you. The New York Times has an article today on the seed vault in Norway that is attempting to maintain the planet’s biodiversity.