What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of life. It's studied on many levels. The highest level includes looking at all the different species in Earth. The lowest level could include looking within a pond ecosystem or a park. Understanding and identifying the relationships between all the life on Earth is one of the greatest challenges in science.
Biodiversity is mostly recognized by species. A species is a group of living organisms that can interbreed. The differences in species is only one part of biodiversity. To fully recognize biodiversity it is important to understand the genetic diversity that exists within species as well as the diversity of entire habitats and ecosystems. In biodiversity there is genetic biodiversity and ecological biodiversity. Genetic biodiversity is the variation in genes that exist within a species. A helpful way to think about genetic biodiversity is to think of dogs. Dogs are part of the same species but, their genes determine if they are a Great Dane or a Hound. Ecological biodiversity is the diversity of natural communities, ecosystems and habitats. In essence, it's the different ways that species interact with each other and their environment. The forests in Maine and the forests in Colorado differ from each other because of the different species that live in both the ecosystems, as well as the temperature and rainfall. These two seemingly similar ecosystems have many differences that make them both special.
Biodiversity is extremely important to people and the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity allows us to live happy and healthy lives because it provides a variety of foods, materials and it contributes to the economy. Without the diversity of pollinators, plants, and soils, our markets would have a lot less produce. Also, biodiversity is an important part of ecological services that make life livable on Earth. They include everything from absorbing chemicals and cleaning water, which wetlands do, to providing oxygen for us to breathe, one of the many things that plants do for people.
Extinction is a natural part of life in the Earth. Over the history of our planet most of the species that existed have evolved and then gradually gone extinct. Natural shifts in the environment that take place over long periods of time, such as ice ages, cause species to go extinct. Today, species are going extinct at an accelerated and dangerous rate, because of non-natural environmental changes caused by human activities. Some of these human activities have a direct impact on ecosystems and species, such as habitat loss, deformation, over exploitation (such as overfishing), spread of non-native species and diseases. Whereas, some human actions have indirect, but wide reaching effects on biodiversity including, climate change and pollution. All of these threats have put a serious strain on the diversity of species on Earth. If we do not stop the threats to biodiversity, we could be facing another mass extinction with terrible consequences to the environment and human health.
Biodiversity is mostly recognized by species. A species is a group of living organisms that can interbreed. The differences in species is only one part of biodiversity. To fully recognize biodiversity it is important to understand the genetic diversity that exists within species as well as the diversity of entire habitats and ecosystems. In biodiversity there is genetic biodiversity and ecological biodiversity. Genetic biodiversity is the variation in genes that exist within a species. A helpful way to think about genetic biodiversity is to think of dogs. Dogs are part of the same species but, their genes determine if they are a Great Dane or a Hound. Ecological biodiversity is the diversity of natural communities, ecosystems and habitats. In essence, it's the different ways that species interact with each other and their environment. The forests in Maine and the forests in Colorado differ from each other because of the different species that live in both the ecosystems, as well as the temperature and rainfall. These two seemingly similar ecosystems have many differences that make them both special.
Biodiversity is extremely important to people and the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity allows us to live happy and healthy lives because it provides a variety of foods, materials and it contributes to the economy. Without the diversity of pollinators, plants, and soils, our markets would have a lot less produce. Also, biodiversity is an important part of ecological services that make life livable on Earth. They include everything from absorbing chemicals and cleaning water, which wetlands do, to providing oxygen for us to breathe, one of the many things that plants do for people.
Extinction is a natural part of life in the Earth. Over the history of our planet most of the species that existed have evolved and then gradually gone extinct. Natural shifts in the environment that take place over long periods of time, such as ice ages, cause species to go extinct. Today, species are going extinct at an accelerated and dangerous rate, because of non-natural environmental changes caused by human activities. Some of these human activities have a direct impact on ecosystems and species, such as habitat loss, deformation, over exploitation (such as overfishing), spread of non-native species and diseases. Whereas, some human actions have indirect, but wide reaching effects on biodiversity including, climate change and pollution. All of these threats have put a serious strain on the diversity of species on Earth. If we do not stop the threats to biodiversity, we could be facing another mass extinction with terrible consequences to the environment and human health.