Biodiversity: Biological Diversity

Biological Diversity is the terms for variety and variability of life on Earth. Its an essential element of life, the very fabric of "natural capital" of our planet.

Biodiversity is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Nature provides nutritious food, supplies clean air and water, sustains livelihoods, acts as a buffer against extreme weather events and regulates the climate.

Biodiversity can be divided into three different areas to understand its types and value to our ecosystem. These are as.

GENERIC DIVERSITY:  Explain diversity within species of different types and kind,

SPECIES DIVERSITY: Describe diversity between different species within one area or different areas

ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY: Represent diversity between two different kind and types of ecosystem whether its small or huge.

The term of biodiversity refers to the amount of diversity between living and nonliving species in a specific place at particular time. It can be huge, like a rain forest or ocean and little one like human guts. 

Biodiversity plays especially important role with our ecosystem productivity. More greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms on our planet.

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, but TERRESTRIAL, MARINE, and AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS are three main sources among all of them.

Nature provides nutritious food, supplies clean air and water, sustains livelihoods, acts as a buffer against extreme weather events and regulates the climate. Our biodiverse planet is threatened by an unprecedented transformation and exploitation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems – driven mostly by human activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of the requirement of close relationship between human and planetary health.

Due to the biodiversity loss, over 784 species (which include 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants) has been lost in the last 500 years, per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Dodo (Mauritius), Quagga (Africa), Passenger Pigeon (North America) and Tasmanian tiger (Australia) are the prominent examples of this phenomena. Even in the last 20 years, there are 27 species which have disappeared from the earth. There are numerous species which have disappeared from Earth and not being ever documented. As of 2018, IUCN Red List put 26,197 species on threatened species watch. Out of which 20 per cent species are classified as critically endangered with high chances of extinction.

Now, it is becoming even extremely important to protect biodiversity of our planet.

Professor Aqua at our Little Canadian Science Lab at Streetsville/ Mississauga ON, has nicely explained in detail about BIODIVERSITY and its basics terms such as Ecosystems, Species Richness, Species Abundance and their different classifications.  

Click below to watch our video on Biodiversity. 

https://youtu.be/myWlxS2nJik

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(Credit: WB, IUCN,CBD,UN)