 |
 |
|
The Basics of Biodiversity:
What is Biodiversity?
The term biodiversity is short for “biological diversity.” It’s the astounding variety of life on Earth—the plants, animals, habitats, and human cultures that populate the planet. And it’s all the interconnections that support and link these living things in a fragile web of life.
Only in the past few decades have we begun to realize the amazing abundance and variety of life we coexist with…and how many more species are yet to be discovered!
And only recently have we truly begun to understand the interdependent relationships shared by all living things. The web of life is like a house of cards—remove one member and the entire system may suffer.
Biodiversity includes:
 |
|
Species Diversity: the sheer numbers and kinds of plants, animals, and other forms of life that share our world—and the interactions between these species |
|
|
Ecosystem Diversity: the habitats where these plants, animals, and other organisms live and evolve—and the interconnections between them |
|
|
Genetic Diversity: the inherited traits that distinguish one species from another |
|
|
Cultural Diversity: the mosaic of human cultures that both influence and are affected by the natural world |
 |
 Species Diversity
Biodiversity includes all organisms great and small—from amoebas to elephants—that currently exist or have ever existed on our planet. So far, scientists have identified and named more than 1.4 million living species, including approximately:
|
|
270,000 species of plants |
|
72,000 species of fungi |
|
950,000 species of insects |
|
19,000 species of fish |
|
10,500 species of reptiles and amphibians |
|
9,000 species of birds |
|
4,000 species of mammals |
Consider that these numbers don’t even include the thousands of mollusks, worms, spiders, algae, and other microorganisms that share the planet with us!
Scientists think there are still millions more species yet to be discovered. And these species are all interconnected and interdependent upon one another in many ways yet to be revealed.
top |
|
 Ecosystem Diversity
Biodiversity occurs in natural communities made up of interacting groups of living things that thrive and depend upon one another in a particular habitat or geographic region.
The local tallgrass prairies of Illinois, the dense rainforests of the Philippine islands, and the coral reefs of the Caribbean are all examples of different ecosystems where unique species live and evolve.
These ecosystems don’t just provide habitats for plants and animals; they also benefit humans by providing a variety of services. For example, wetlands help filter ground water and control flooding, while rainforests purify the air we breathe and supply our world with oxygen.
top |
|
Genetic Diversity
Biodiversity includes the inherited biological traits that are carried within the DNA of each species or individual’s genes.
Genetic diversity can be seen in the various colors and shapes of apples in the grocery store, the differences in human hair and eye color, and in the subtle changes in song or markings within a particular species of bird.
Maintaining genetic diversity within a group of plants, animals, or people is extremely important because it allows populations to adapt when changes occur in their environment. If populations become too small, genetic diversity is lost. Populations that have little genetic diversity are often vulnerable to outbreaks of disease or pest infestations.
top |
|
 Cultural Diversity
Biodiversity includes the vast array of human beliefs, knowledge, traditions, customs, and languages that create the framework for society. Although all humans belong to one species (homo sapiens), our species is made up of thousands of different cultures.
These cultures often determine how people interact with nature. For example, religious beliefs can affect a community’s diet and the crops they choose to grow (and how they grow them), while social status within a group can affect a culture’s land-management practices.
Similarly, the natural world can profoundly influence the development of human societies. For example, certain cultural lifestyles represent "solutions" to the problems of survival in a particular habitat, such as the nomadic tradition of desert dwellers. Essentially, cultural diversity helps people adapt to changing conditions in their environment.
top |
Introduction | Investigate Biodiversity | YBC | Meet the Scientist | Explore Global Diversity | Events and Programs | Take Action! | Teaching Biodiversity | Biodiversity Exhibition | Credits
|
|
|
Biodiversity, or natural riches, is a new term that describes something very old.
—Alfredo Ortega
Writer
|
|
