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Biodiversity

Why does it matter, and why do we want to preserve it?

Biodiversity refers to the wide variety of living things on Planet Earth. It comprises genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity. A natural world that is more diverse is more resilient. All of those varied genes contain information that can help species to adapt when conditions change.

When a species becomes extinct, that genetic information is lost and can never be retrieved. That's a selfish reason to value biodiversity. There are also ethical arguments that we have a responsibility to avoid destroying the other living things that share our planet, and to not leave a diminished world for future generations .

Human activities that contribute to the loss of biodiversity include habitat destruction and the spread of invasive species.

For more info:

Read an interview with E.O. Wilson, the Harvard biologist who made biodiversity a household word.
Learn about biodiversity hotspots around the world.

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Thanks for visiting. Updated April 2006.