5: Biodiversity
- Page ID
- 185159
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth. Scientists study biodiversity at three levels:
- Genetic diversity – variation within a species
- Species diversity – the number and abundance of species in an area
- Ecosystem diversity – the variety of habitats, ecosystems, and ecological processes
Biodiversity supports healthy ecosystems and provides benefits that people depend on every day (ecosystem goods and services). These benefits include food production, pollination, clean water, climate regulation, medicines, recreation, and cultural values.
High biodiversity often increases ecosystem resilience, helping ecosystems resist and recover from disturbances such as drought, wildfire, disease, and climate change.
Why This Matters
Biodiversity supports essential ecosystem services such as:
- Food production
- Pollination
- Water purification
- Climate regulation
- Nutrient cycling
- Recreation and cultural values
As biodiversity declines, ecosystems may become less resilient and less able to provide these services.
Figure \(\PageIndex{a}\): Volunteers carrying a sea turtle. Image by Aleson Padiha Pexels (Public domain)
- 5.1: The Value of Biodiversity
- This page explores why biodiversity is valuable and how conserving species and ecosystems benefits both nature and people. Biodiversity supports human societies by providing food, medicines, ecosystem services, and resilience in a changing environment.
- 5.2: The Importance of Biodiversity to Human Life
- This page explores why biodiversity matters to people and the planet. You will learn how biodiversity supports human health, food security, ecosystem goods and services, and overall well-being, and why protecting biodiversity is important for a sustainable future.
- 5.3: Levels of Biodiversity
- This page introduces the three levels of biodiversity—genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity—and explains how each contributes to healthy, resilient ecosystems. You will also explore how biodiversity supports ecosystem goods and services, food production, and human well-being, and why conserving biodiversity is important for a sustainable future.
- 5.4: The Biodiversity Crisis
- This page explores how biodiversity is distributed across Earth, why some regions contain exceptionally high biodiversity, and how human activities are causing biodiversity loss. You will examine biodiversity hotspots, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies, and a case study that illustrates how human actions can rapidly affect species and ecosystems.
- 5.5: Threats to Biodiversity
- This page examines the major human-caused threats to biodiversity using the HIPPCO framework: Habitat loss, Invasive species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate change, and Overharvesting. You will explore how these threats affect species and ecosystems and evaluate why reducing these pressures is essential for biodiversity conservation and sustainability.
- 5.6: Extinction
- This page explores how extinction and biodiversity loss have shaped life on Earth. You will learn about mass extinctions, the causes of the current biodiversity crisis, the difference between extinction and extirpation, and how the loss of species can affect ecosystem function and resilience.
- 5.7: Measuring Biodiversity Loss
- This page introduces the IUCN Red List, one of the world’s most important tools for measuring biodiversity loss. You will learn how scientists assess extinction risk, classify species into conservation categories, and use this information to guide conservation efforts and protect biodiversity.
- 5.8: Preserving Biodiversity
- This page introduces conservation biology, the scientific study of how to protect biodiversity. You will explore strategies for conserving habitats, restoring ecosystems, using natural resources sustainably, and supporting conservation efforts at local and global scales.
- 5.9: Policies Protecting Biodiversity
- This page explores how laws, policies, and international agreements help protect biodiversity. You will learn how endangered species laws, marine protected areas, and international conservation efforts support the protection of species and habitats at local, national, and global scales.
- 5.10: Data Dive- Threats to Biodiversity
- This page discusses the Living Planet Report by WWF, established in 1998 and updated every two years, which evaluates global biodiversity and human impacts. The 2018 edition highlights major threats to wildlife, particularly habitat destruction and exploitation, with visual data showing the varying effects on birds, reptiles, mammals, and fish—emphasizing that fish suffer most from exploitation and mammals from habitat loss.
Attributions
Modified by Erin Rempala.
Rachel Schleiger (CC-BY-NC(opens in new window))
Thumbnail image - "Environmental protection"(opens in new window) is in the Public Domain