Biodiversity

Definition

Biodiversity is the variability of life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels, for example, genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distributed evenly on Earth—it is greater in the tropics as a result of the warm climate and high primary productivity in the region near the equator. Tropical forest ecosystems cover less than one-fifth of Earth's terrestrial area and contain about 50% of the world's species. There are latitudinal gradients in species diversity for both marine and terrestrial taxa.

Related concepts

2010 Biodiversity Target 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference 30 by 30 ARKive Abiogenesis Adaptation Adaptive management Adenosine triphosphate Afforestation Africa Age of Earth Age of the Earth Agricultural biodiversity Agricultural land Agriculture Air pollution Air quality index Air quality law Airshed Alga All-taxa biodiversity inventory Allopatric speciation Alpha diversity Alpine climate Altitude Amino acid Ammonites Ammonoids Amniote Amphibian Animal Animal cruelty Animal rights Animal sanctuary Animal theme park Animal training Antarctica Anthony David Barnosky Anthropocene Aquatic ecosystems Aquifer Aquifer storage and recovery Arable land Archaea Archean Argentina Aridification Arthropod Arthropods Artificialization Assarting Asselian Astrobiology Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future Atlantic Forest Atmosphere of Earth Atom Australia AuthorHouse Aviaries Aviary Azerbaijan BBC News BMJ Background extinction Bacteria Bard College Barro Colorado Island Base pair Bear pit Behavioral enrichment Belgium Belize Beta diversity Bhutan Biochar Biocoenosis Biodiversity Informatics Biodiversity action plan Biodiversity and drugs Biodiversity banking Biodiversity conservation Biodiversity credit Biodiversity hotspot Biodiversity hypothesis of health Biodiversity in agriculture Biodiversity loss Biodiversity of Africa Biodiversity of Albania Biodiversity of Algeria Biodiversity of Angola Biodiversity of Assam Biodiversity of Austria Biodiversity of Bahrain Biodiversity of Bangladesh Biodiversity of Belarus Biodiversity of Belgium Biodiversity of Benin Biodiversity of Borneo Biodiversity of Botswana Biodiversity of Burkina Faso Biodiversity of Burundi Biodiversity of Cameroon Biodiversity of Cape Town Biodiversity of Cape Verde Biodiversity of Central African Republic Biodiversity of Chad Biodiversity of Colombia Biodiversity of Comoros Biodiversity of Cuba Biodiversity of Denmark Biodiversity of Djibouti Biodiversity of Egypt Biodiversity of Equatorial Guinea Biodiversity of Eritrea Biodiversity of Estonia Biodiversity of Eswatini Biodiversity of France Biodiversity of Gabon Biodiversity of Ghana Biodiversity of Greece Biodiversity of Guinea Biodiversity of Guinea-Bissau Biodiversity of Hungary Biodiversity of Indonesia Biodiversity of Iran Biodiversity of Iraq Biodiversity of Israel and Palestine Biodiversity of Italy Biodiversity of Ivory Coast Biodiversity of Jordan Biodiversity of Kenya Biodiversity of Kosovo Biodiversity of Laos Biodiversity of Latvia Biodiversity of Lesotho Biodiversity of Libya Biodiversity of Lithuania Biodiversity of Malaysia Biodiversity of Mali Biodiversity of Montenegro Biodiversity of Mozambique Biodiversity of Myanmar Biodiversity of Namibia Biodiversity of Nepal Biodiversity of New Caledonia Biodiversity of New Zealand Biodiversity of Norway Biodiversity of Papua New Guinea Biodiversity of Paraguay Biodiversity of Portugal Biodiversity of Qatar Biodiversity of Republic of the Congo Biodiversity of Serbia Biodiversity of Somalia Biodiversity of South Africa Biodiversity of Sudan Biodiversity of Sweden Biodiversity of Switzerland Biodiversity of Syria Biodiversity of Thailand Biodiversity of The Gambia Biodiversity of Tunisia Biodiversity of Turkey Biodiversity of Uruguay Biodiversity of Wales Biodiversity of Zambia Biodiversity of Zimbabwe Biodiversity of the Philippines Biodiversity offsetting Bioenergy Biogenic substance Biogeochemical cycle Biogeography Biological Conservation Biological Diversity Act Biological interaction Biological organisation Biological system Biology Biomass Biomass (ecology)Biome Biopiracy Bioprospecting Bioresilience Biosphere Biota (ecology)Biotic material Bird Bird conservation Birds Bivalves Bog Bolivia Bonn Convention Bosnia and Herzegovina Boston Consulting Group Brazil Breathing Breeding program Brent Dalrymple Bulgaria Bush tucker Bushmeat Butterfly house CITES Calculus Cali Cambodia Cambrian explosion Cape Floristic Region Captive breeding Captivity (animal)Carbohydrate Carbon Carbon sequestration Carboniferous Carboniferous rainforest collapse Carrying capacity Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Cell (biology)Cell cycle Cell signaling Cell theory Cellular respiration Cengage Learning Centaurea cyanus Chaser bin Chemical bond Chemical element Chile China Circulatory system Cisuralian Citizen science Cityscape Clean Air Act (United States)Climate Climate change Climate change adaptation Climate change and fisheries Climate change mitigation Cloud Colombia Common-pool resource Common land Common name Commons Community (ecology)Conflict resource Conservation-dependent species Conservation-reliant species Conservation biology Conservation grazing Conservation in Papua New Guinea Conservation status Consortium for the Barcode of Life Consumption (economics)Convention on Biological Diversity Cornell University Costa Rica Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event Critically Endangered Croatia Crop diversity Crop yield Crust (geology)Cryptic species Cultivar DNA Dark diversity Data deficient Decline in amphibian populations Decline in insect populations Deforestation Deforestation and climate change Deforestation by region Democratic Republic of the Congo Demography Desalination Desert greening Desertification Desertification in China Desertification in Lebanon Desertification in Libya Desertification in Mali Desertification in Mauritania Desertification in Mongolia Desertification in Yemen Desertification in the Gobi Desert Desertification in the Sahel Deserts Developmental biology Digital Automated Identification SYstem Dinosaur Diversity index Dolphinarium Drainage basin Drew Harvell Drinking water Drug discovery EBird EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 EU Directive 1999/22/EC Eagle Creek (Multnomah County, Oregon)Earliest known life forms Earth Earth Overshoot Day Earth science East Asia Ecoforestry Ecological Applications Ecological diversity Ecological economics Ecological effects of biodiversity Ecological engineering Ecological indicator Ecological niche Ecological resilience Ecological stability Ecologists Ecology Ecology of Banksia Economics of biodiversity Ecoregion conservation status Ecosystem Ecosystem diversity Ecosystem ecology Ecosystem service Ecosystem services Ecosystems Ecotourism Ecuador Ediacaran Ediacaran biota Edward O. Wilson Effects of climate change on biomes El Salvador Electrostate Elevational diversity gradient Emergence Emergency response team (zoo)Emissions trading Enclosure Encyclopedia of Life End-Permian extinction Endangered Species Act Endangered species Endangered species (IUCN status)Endemism Endocrine system Energy Energy law Entomophily Environmental DNA Environmental good Enzyme Eoarchean Epidermis (botany)Epigenetics Equator Ethiopia Eukaryote EurekAlert!Europe Evolution Evolution of birds Evolution of fungi Evolution of mammals Evolution of molluscs Evolution of photosynthesis Evolution of primates Evolution of sexual reproduction Evolutionary developmental biology Evolutionary history of plants Ex situ conservation Exploitation of natural resources Exponential growth Extinct in the wild Extinction Extinction event Extremophile Farmer-managed natural regeneration Fauna Felicia Keesing Fermentation Field (agriculture)Field (physics)Finland Fisheries Fisheries law Fisheries management Fishery Fishes Fishing Fitness (biology)Flexible Mechanisms Flood Flora Flower Flowering plant Food Food and Agriculture Organization Food biodiversity Food security Forest Forest Ecology and Management Forest Landscape Integrity Index Forest genetic resources Forest management Forest reserves Forestry Forestry law Fossil Fossil fuel Fossil history of flowering plants Fossil record Fossils Fractal Fractal dimension French Guiana Fresh water From Farm to Fork Frozen zoo Fuel gas Function (biology)Functional group (ecology)Fungi Fungus Future of Earth GDP Gaia hypothesis Game (hunting)Game law Gamma diversity Gemstone Gene Gene bank Gene expression Gene flow Gene pool Genetic diversity Genetic drift Genetic pollution Genetic resources Genetic variability Genetically modified organisms Genetics Genome Genomes Genotype Geographical pole Geography Geological history of Earth Geology George B. Johnson Georgia (country)Geothermal energy Germany Gilbert White Glacier Global 200 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Biodiversity Information Facility Global Ocean Sampling Expedition Global biodiversity Global commons Graphite Great Green Wall (Africa)Great Green Wall (China)Great Oxidation Event Ground tissue Groundwater Groundwater pollution Groundwater recharge Groundwater remediation Guatemala Guyana Habitat Habitat conservation Habitat destruction Hadean Health risks of climate change Herpetarium High Seas Treaty Historic desertification History of Earth History of biology History of life Holocene extinction Holocene extinction event Holy See Homeostasis Hominoid Honduras Hopetoun Falls Huerta Human Human digestive system Human impact on the environment Human population growth Hybrid (biology)Hydropower Hydrosphere Hyperbolic growth Hypervolume INaturalist IPBES IUCN Red List IUCN Red List extinct in the wild species IUCN Red List of extinct species Ice Iceberg Iceland Illegal logging Immersion exhibit Immune system Improved sanitation Improved water source In situ conservation Index of biodiversity articles Index of biology articles Index of conservation articles India Indonesia Indoor air quality Industrial mineral Informed consent Insect Insect biodiversity Insectarium Intact forest landscape Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Internal environment Internal structure of Earth International Day for Biological Diversity International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture International Union for Conservation of Nature International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants Introduced species Introduction to evolution Introduction to genetics Introgression Invasive species Invertebrate Irrigation J. Arthur Harris J. Craig Venter Institute J. William Schopf Jamaica Japan Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement Jessica Gurevitch John Terborgh Key Biodiversity Area Kudzu Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Land Land-use planning Land (economics)Land degradation Land law Land management Land surface effects on climate Land use Land use, land-use change and forestry Landscape Last universal common ancestor Latent extinction risk Latin America Latitude Latitudes Latitudinal gradients in species diversity Leaching (agriculture)Leaf Least-concern species Lichen Life Lipid List of Chromista by conservation status List of UK sites recognised for their importance in biodiversity conservation List of WAZA member zoos and aquariums List of animal sanctuaries List of aquaria by country List of biodiversity databases List of biology journals List of butterfly houses List of dolphinariums List of endangered arthropods List of endangered spiders List of former zoos and aquariums List of fungi by conservation status List of global issues List of largest aquaria List of nature centers List of plants used in herbalism List of species protected by CITES Appendix I List of species protected by CITES Appendix II List of species protected by CITES Appendix III List of threatened rays List of threatened sharks List of zoo associations List of zoos by country Lists of IUCN Red List critically endangered species Lists of IUCN Red List data deficient species Lists of IUCN Red List endangered species Lists of IUCN Red List least concern species Lists of IUCN Red List near threatened species Lists of IUCN Red List vulnerable species Living Planet Report Local extinction Logistic function Lower risk Lyme disease Maastrichtian Macroevolution Macrosociology Madagascar Madagascar dry deciduous forests Mammals Managed intensive rotational grazing Marine biodiversity of South Africa Marine conservation Marine ecosystem Marine ecosystems Marine mammal park Marine resources Martinique Mass extinction Mass extinctions Matter McGraw-Hill Education Meadow Measurement of biodiversity Mechanical philosophy Megadiverse countries Megafauna Meiosis Menagerie Mendelian inheritance Metabolically Metabolism Metal Metasediment Meteorology Mexico Microbial Microbial mat Microbiome Microevolution Microorganism Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Mineral Mineral rights Mining Mining law Mite Mitosis Moisture Moisture recycling Molecular biology Molecule Monomer Moonlight Morocco Morphology (biology)Moss Mountain Mountains Mountaintop removal Multicellular organism Muscular system Mutation Mutualism (biology)Mycological Research Mycorrhizal network Myr National Ambient Air Quality Standards National Park Service National Science Foundation National park Native Vegetation Management Framework Natura 2000 Natural capital Natural capital accounting Natural environment Natural heritage Natural landscape Natural resource Natural resource economics Natural resource management Natural selection Naturalists Nature Nature-based solutions Nature-positive Nature center Nature reserve Near-threatened species Negative feedback Neoproterozoic oxygenation event Nervous system Net primary production New York Times Nicaragua Nicholas Wade Nigeria Nocturnal house Non-renewable resource Non-timber forest product Norman Myers Northern Europe Northern Saskatchewan Administration District Not evaluated Nuclear power Nucleic acid Nutrient cycle Nutrient cycling Oasification Ocean Oceanarium Oceans Oil war Old-growth forest Open space reserve Ordovician Ore Organ (biology)Organelle Organic compound Organic farming Organism Origin of life Origin of water on Earth Orthohantavirus Outline of biology Overconsumption Overexploitation Ozone depletion PH PLOS One Pakistan Palaeoworld Papaver rhoeas Partha Dasgupta Particle Pasture Patent Pathogen Pathogen transmission Paul R. Ehrlich Peak coal Peak copper Peak farmland Peak gas Peak minerals Peak oil Peak phosphorus Peak water Peer review Penguinarium Permian Permian-Triassic extinction event Permian–Triassic extinction event Peru Pesticide Peter H. Raven Petro-Islam Petroleum politics Petrostate Petting zoo Phanerozoic Pheasantry Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Phloem Photosynthesis Phylogenetic diversity Phylogenetics Phylum Phylum (biology)Pine Plankton Plant Plant genetic resources Plant stem Plate tectonics Pleistocene Poland Polar ice cap Pollination Polymer Population (biology)Population biology Population decline Population ecology Positive feedback Post-transcriptional modification Precambrian Research Precipitation Primary productivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Prokaryote Property law Protected areas Protein Proterozoic Protist Protozoan Public aquarium Quantum biology REDD and REDD+Radiation Rain Rain forests Rainwater harvesting Ramsar Convention Range condition scoring Rangeland Rare species Raymond F. Dasmann Reclaimed water Reductionism Reforestation Regulation of gene expression Remineralization Remnant natural area Renewable resource Reproduction Reproductive system Reptile Reptile centre Republic of Ireland Resistance (ecology)Resource Resource (biology)Resource curse Resource depletion Resource extraction Resource nationalism Resource war Respiratory system Ribosomal RNA River Robert Costanza Rodrigues Romania Root Royal Society Russia Rwanda Safari park Sakmarian Sand mining Sandstone Sanitation Science Science (journal)Science Advances Scientific American Scientific law Scientific method Scientific theory Scientists Sea Sea level rise Seascape Seed bank Selborne Selection bias Self-replication Sewage Seychelles Shade (shadow)Shannon-Weaver diversity index Sheila Colla Shoot (botany)Silver pheasant Simpson diversity index Sixth mass extinction Slash-and-burn Slash-and-char Slovenia Snow Soil Soil biodiversity Soil conservation Soil fertility Soil health Soil nutrient Soil resilience Soil retrogression and degradation Solanum tuberosum Solar energy Soundscape South Korea South Sudan Space Speciation Species Species-area curve Species diversity Species homogeneity Species reintroduction Species richness Species–area relationship Sri Lanka Stacy Philpott Stimulus (physiology)Stochastic Stone Age Stormwater Structure Sunlight Surface water Suriname Sussex University Sustainability Sustainable agriculture Syrphid Systems ecology Tanzania Taxon Taxonomic diversity Taxonomic rank Taxonomy (biology)Temperature Terra preta Tetrapod The Given Institute The Guardian The Intercept The New York Times The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates The world's 100 most threatened species Thomas Lovejoy Threatened arthropods Threatened species Tide Time Timeline of biology and organic chemistry Timeline of the evolutionary history of life Tissue (biology)Tonne Tornado Tractor Tragedy of the commons Trinidad and Tobago Tropical cyclone Tropical forest Tropics Turkey Turks and Caicos Islands UNESCO UNESCO Global Geoparks Ukraine Unicellular organism United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification United Nations Environment Programme United States United States Geological Survey Universe Unmanned aerial vehicles Urban ecology Vascular plant Vascular plants Vascular tissue Venezuela Vertebrate Vietnam Viewshed Virtual zoo Virus Vivarium Vulnerability and susceptibility in conservation biology Vulnerable species Water Water conflict Water conservation Water efficiency Water law Water pollution Water privatization Water quality Water resource policy Water resources Water right Water scarcity Water security Water supply Weather West Nile virus Western Australia Western Greenland Wetland Wheat Wilderness Wildfire Wildlife Wildlife conservation Wildlife corridor Wildlife management Wildlife of Canada Wildlife sanctuaries Wildlife sanctuary Wind Wind power Winnipeg Free Press Wood Wood production World Conservation Monitoring Centre World Health Organization World Heritage Site World Wide Fund for Nature World Wildlife Fund World energy resources World population Xylem Yasuni National Park Yemen Zeta diversity Zoo Zoo key Zookeeper Zoological society Zoology

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