The term biodiversity was coined as a contraction of biological diversity by e. Biodiversity is the word that is used to define the crowd of organisms of the planet. Genetic biodiversity the variations between individuals of the same species, and. The first type of biodiversity is species diversity, and this is the type of biodiversity most people are familiar with.
It includes all the species on earth, ranging from plants such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, angiosperms and all the species of. On a larger scale, you can use it to describe various types of ecosystems. Biodiversity includes diversity within species genetic diversity, between species. From the hot arid deserts of the sahara, through the lush green rainforests of the amazon, to the ocean depths and bright corals, our natural. Though the study of environment and ecology is quite old, the term biodiversity has been introduced by walter rosen in 1986. Nearly 45,000 species of plants and twice as many of animals have been recorded from india. Biodiversity definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Biodiversity definition biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. Biological diversity, abbreviated as biodiversity, represent the sum total of various life forms such as unicellular and multi cellular organisms at various biological levels. Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the sum of all the different species of plants, animals, fungi and microbial organisms that live on earth, including the various ecosystems in which they live on. Much has been published on the subject since its first appearance at the national forum on biodiversity in september, 1986, the proceedings of which became the bestseller, biodiversity.
Biodiversity meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. While earths biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be discovered, many. Scientists estimate that more than 10 million different species inhabit earth. Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is a term that refers to the number of genes, species, individual organisms within a given species, and biological communities within a defined geographic area, ranging from the smallest ecosystem to. Biodiversity definition and meaning collins english. However the need for such a definition that is both scientifically sensible and universally applicable is. Dec 21, 2019 biodiversity is of mainly three types which are above mentioned. Biodiversity is a term which describes every living organism within a single ecosystem or habitat, including numbers and diversity of species and all environmental aspects such as temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and climate.
It refers to the variabilitys among species of plants, animals and microorganisms. Biodiversity provides medical models for research into solving human health problems. Definition of biodiversity biodiversity is a relatively new compound word, but biological diversity when referring to the number of species is not. But, gradually over the years, there has been a major loss in the biodiversity across. Biological diversity or biodiversity is that part of nature which includes the differences in genes among the individuals of a species, the variety and richness of all the plant and animal species at different scales in space, locally, in a region, in the country and the world, and various types. Biological diversity, abbreviated as biodiversity, represent the sum.
The manifestations of all types of diversities are found at all these levels of organisms. The living world is a complex combination of different levels of organisms. An estimated 40 per cent of the global economy is based on biologi. Biodiversity definition, diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment. To maintain lifesupporting systems and essential ecological processes. Biodiversity is defined as the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part. Biodiversity definition biodiversity is the variation among living organisms from different sources including terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. Guidelines for biodiversity assessment and monitoring for. Biodiversity and its types complete detail updated. For example, plant and animal species need each other for food, and depend on the environment for water and shelter. Biodiversity and its types biodiversity definition biodiversity is the variation among living organisms from different sources including terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. Biodiversity is the part of nature which includes the difference in genes among the individuals of a species, the variety and richness of all the plant and animal species at different scales in. All these diversities help in maintaining the correct balance of nature.
An unequivocal, precise, and generally accepted definition of biodiversity does not exist. Biodiversity is a very broad term and is often divided into three types. Biodiversity definition, examples and threats biology. Three levels of biodiversity are commonly discussed genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. It is the degree of variation of life forms within a ecosystem or biome or entire planet called biodiversity. The mediterranean region is a particularly vulnerable region with. Biodiversity definition biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. Genetic, organism and ecological diversity are all elements of biodiversity with each including a number of components. Biodiversity may be defined as the variety and variability of living organisms and the ecological. Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as clean, consistent water flows, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The concept of biodiversity has provoked considerable debate and misunderstanding among the general public, decisionmakers, and even the scientific community. Biodiversity conservation is the protection and management of biodiversity to obtain resources for sustainable development. Introduction the term biodiversity was first coined by walter g.
Otherwise known as agrobiodiversity, agricultural biodiversity is a broad term that includes the variety and variability of animals, plants and microorganisms at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels that sustain the ecosystem structures, functions and processes in and around production systems, and that provide food and non. Species diversity within a community or habitat, comprises two components i. Biodiversity biological diversity or biodiversity is part of. Biodiversity, which represents the variety and variability of life in all its forms e. Genetic biodiversity the variations between individuals of the same species, and characteristics passed down between parents and offspring e. That is what makes our country one of the 12 mega diversity countries of the world. Species diversity is all the different species, as well as the differences within and.
A common measure of this variety, called species richness, is. The key components of life are at one extreme and communities of species at the other extreme. Biodiversity conservation has three main objectives. The importance of biological diversity to human society is hard to overstate. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth and includes variation at all levels of biological organization from genes to species to ecosystems. Biodiversity is a key measure of the health of any ecosystem, and of our entire planet. Biodiversity also includes the genetic information that these organisms contain. Biodiversity is a compound word derived from biological diversity and therefore is considered to have the same meaning. Short for biological diversity, biodiversity includes all organisms, species, and populations. Biodiversity is the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species living in. Biodiversity is the variation among living organisms from different sources including terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of. Notes on definition the cbd definition is the internationally. Biodiversity is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.
Biodiversity indicators help us measure and monitor a pressures or threats, such as trends in land and water use, habitat loss or invasive species, b the state of species and ecosystems. Biodiversity is of mainly three types which are above mentioned. Every organism in an ecosystem, or biome, relies on other organisms and the physical environment. Here the biodiversity term is placed in the context of ecosystem sustainability, as it is an. Terrestrial biodiversity is usually greater near the equator, which is the result of the warm climate and high primary productivity. Definition, types levels of biodiversity, magnitude, gradients, benefits, threats, conservation, red data book, iucn biodiversity is the word that is used to define the crowd of organisms of the planet. For example, researchers are looking at how seals, whales, and penguins use oxygen during deep. A common measure of this variety, called species richness, is the count of species in an area. Biodiversity is defined as the existence of species, genetic, and ecosystem diversity in an area swingland, 2000 scar, 2008. Wilson version is included below in further definitions as the first recorded definition of the term. Biodiversity, the variety of life found in a place on earth or, often, the total variety of life on earth. Biodiversity is the sum of all the different species of animals, plants, fungi and microbial organisms living on earth and the variety of habitats in which they live. In other words, biodiversity is the occurrence of different types of ecosystems, different species of organisms with the whole.
Biodiversity underlies everything from food production to medical research. Learn more about the conservation of biodiversity here. Biodiversity definition of biodiversity by merriamwebster. Biodiversity and conservation although india h as only 2. Biodiversity is the shorter form of word biological diversity. Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. The importance of this definition is that it draws.
The loss of biodiversity is dangerous and its consequences are immediate. Biodiversity is the variety of all species on our planet. Biodiversity threats weston w sechrest,university of virginia, charlottesville, virginia, usa thomas m brooks, center for applied biodiversity science conservation international. Biodiversity, also called biological diversity, the variety of life found in a place on earth or, often, the total variety of life on earth. Otherwise known as agrobiodiversity, agricultural biodiversity is a broad term that includes the variety and variability of animals. Therefore, on a smaller scale, you can use biodiversity to describe the variation in the genetic makeup of an organism. Pdf biodiversity is the variety of different forms of life on earth, including the different plants, animals, microorganisms, the genes they contain. It includes different plants, animals, birds and microorganisms, their. Biodiversity encompasses the genetic variety within each species and the variety of ecosystems that species create. Biological diversity or biodiversity is that part of nature which includes the differences in genes among the individuals of a species, the variety and richness of all the plant and animal. Notes on definition the cbd definition is the internationally accepted definition of biodiversity. Ecosystem biodiversity is further divided into three parts i alpha biodiversity, ii beta biodiversity iii gamma biodiversity biodiversity is the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes on the planet. Biodiversity biological diversity or biodiversity is part of nature which include the differences in genes among the individual of a species. Going by the raw definition, biodiversity is the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a given region.
Species diversity refers to biodiversity at the most basic level and is the variety and abundance of different types of individuals of a species in a given area. Humans use at least 40,000 species of plants and animals on a daily basis. Agricultural biodiversity is a subset of general biodiversity. Definition, types levels of biodiversity, magnitude, gradients, benefits, threats, conservation, red data book, iucn. Biodiversity may be defined as the variety and variability of living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they exist. The term biodiversity is made up of two words biological and diversity. Biodiversity is the part of nature which includes the difference in genes among the individuals of a species, the variety and richness of all the plant and animal species at different scales in space, locally in a region, in the country and the world and various types of ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic within a defined area. Species biodiversity the variety of living things e. Pdf an unequivocal, precise, and generally accepted definition of biodiversity does not.
Now that we know the different types of biodiversity, let us look at the importance of biodiversity. Conservation of biodiversity can be studied in different segments. Biodiversity biodiversityshort for biological diversitymeans the diversity of life in all its formsthe diversity of species, of genetic variations within one species, and of ecosystems. Genetic diversity is all the different genes contained in all. Genetic diversity is all the different genes contained in all the living species, including individual plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Biodiversity is also known as biological diversity. Biodiversity definition of biodiversity by the free. Biodiversity loss, also called loss of biodiversity, a decrease in biodiversity within a species, an ecosystem, a given geographic area, or earth as a whole. Biodiversity is the variety of different forms of life on earth, including the different plants, animals, microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they form.
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