Biodiversity
The variety of life in a given area, including the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems.
Definition
Biodiversity refers to the full range of living organisms in an ecosystem or on Earth as a whole -- the variety of species, the genetic diversity within those species, and the diversity of ecosystems they form. High biodiversity is generally associated with more resilient, stable ecosystems that can better withstand disease, climate shifts, and other disturbances.
Biodiversity loss, driven by habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and invasive species, is considered one of the most serious environmental challenges alongside climate change, since it undermines the ecosystem services -- clean water, pollination, soil fertility -- that all life depends on.
In Practice
A rainforest with thousands of interdependent plant, insect, and animal species has much higher biodiversity than a single-crop farm field, making it far more resilient to disease outbreaks or extreme weather.