Biodiversity

Biodiversity means the whole variety of life on Earth. It encompasses all living things, from human beings to micro-organisms, not just species which are rare or threatened.

Biodiversity, which is short for biological diversity, covers the diversity of species, the diversity of the habitats in which they live, and genetic diversity within species.

Biodiversity is fundamental for the Earth's life support system. It provides basic natural services which mankind has always been able to take for granted, such as the provision of fresh water, fertile soil, clean air and stable weather systems. How many species are necessary for this, how they interact with each other, and how they contribute to natural services is still largely unknown. But over the past twenty-five years species have been disappearing in alarming numbers, and many common species are also declining. The current estimation is that extinction is one thousand times the natural rate, due almost entirely to human activity.

More information on biodiversity is available on the following pages:

What is Biodiversity?
Measuring Biodiversity
Services Provided by Biodiversity

Photo Credit: Peter Wakely/ English Nature