biological diversity
Life's total variety
Biological diversity, usually shortened to biodiversity, refers to the variety of life forms in a given ecosystem, region, or the entire planet.
It encompasses diversity at multiple levels: genetic variation within species, the range of different species in an area, and the variety of ecosystems themselves.
Conservation efforts often focus on preserving biological diversity because ecosystems with greater variety tend to be more resilient: The rainforest's biological diversity is threatened by deforestation.
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- faunaAnimal life collectively
- gene poolSpecies' total genetic diversity
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- nature reserveProtected habitat area
allele · endemic species · keystone species · rewilding · biogeography · flora · wildlife corridors · rainforests · habitat restoration · speciation · genome · sustainability · coral reefs · abundance · invasive species · taxonomy · coral · organisms
- biologycells, DNA, cell, gene, bacteriology
- Atlantic Foresttropical ecosystem, native species, howler monkey, jaguar, ocelot
- DarwinCharles Darwin, natural selection, evolution, HMS Beagle, Galapagos
- taxonomygenus, species, taxon, kingdom, phylum
biological diversitymonoculture
Single-crop agricultural system
monocrop · mass extinction · sterility · dead zone · species loss
biological diversityecosystem collapse
Total breakdown of environmental systems
mass extinction · ecological degradation · habitat destruction · ecocide · species extinction
diverse, diversity, biology, biological, diversify, diversification, biosphere, biodiversity, biochemical