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The Concept Of Biodiversity – An Exercise In Variability
from:While it shouldn't be, it's often hard for people to wrap their minds around the concept of biodiversity. Partly this is because the concept of biodiversity is a complex one, and partly it's because so many agencies have vested interests in people seeing anything that conserves resources as a threat to their lifestyles. The first steps toward defining the concept of biodiversity were undertaken by E.O. Wilson in the mid-1980s. Since then, the concept has become so important that there are a number of world, national, and local initiatives targeted at reducing biodiversity loss by 2010.
The concept of biodiversity breaks down into three major factors, all of which are interwoven:
First is the concept of genetic diversity. This refers to the variation of genes within a single species and can be further broken down into two components: genetic variations within distinct populations of the same species, and genetic variations within a population.
Next is the concept of species diversity. This take us up one rung as we consider the varieties of species within a region. There are two main measures to assess this: the first is species “richness”, or the number of species, both plant and animal, that inhabit an area; the second is the more precise “taxonomic diversity,” which takes into account the relationships between species in addition to their numbers.
The third factor, and the overarching one, is ecosystem diversity. Since the boundaries between various biological communities are highly fluid, this is the most difficult factor to measure accurately, yet it may very well be the most important, since this is where changes that affect all life occur. Climate change, often caused by things like global warming, are among the greatest threats to ecosystem diversity.
Biological diversity includes the variety of ecosystems, and their patterns. It also includes their linkages across regional landscapes. There is a hierarchy of the parts and processes of biological diversity that is, admittedly, artificial. This hierarchy also has a distinct human context (i.e., things are seen in the context of how useful they are to humans). Still, it provides a focus for the concept of biodiversity, which is so infinitely varied that any lens taken to it must be narrowly focused compared to the full spectrum of both the topic and human needs.
Understanding the concept of biodiversity should be a high priority for everyone, since we cannot preserve it if we don't understand it, and not preserving it will ultimately affect the lives of all of us. One of the best ways of understanding the very broad concept of biodiversity is reading the various definitions used by scientists, philosophers, environmentalists, and others.
Hotspot Biodiversity Specific links
Hotspot Biodiversity News
Celebrating World Biodiversity Day - GreaterKashmir.com
 GreaterKashmir.com | Celebrating World Biodiversity Day GreaterKashmir.com India is one of the 17 Megadiverse countries of the world, sharing four global biodiversity hotspots, one being the Himalayas. Extremely diverse topographic, climatic and cultural features prevalent in the country since ages, have led to a considerably ... |
'Hot spot' languages are in danger, too - Futurity: Research News
 Daily Mail | 'Hot spot' languages are in danger, too Futurity: Research News In terms of biodiversity conservation, all bets are off." (Credit: iStockphoto) PENN STATE (US) — Biodiversity hot spots are some of the most linguistically diverse regions on the planet, accounting for 70 percent of all languages on Earth. Endangered Species, Languages Linked at High Biodiversity Regions |
Northeast, from biodiversity hotspot to ecological disaster - E-Pao.net
Northeast, from biodiversity hotspot to ecological disaster E-Pao.net Both biodiversity and ecosystem of north east India, recognized as the world's biodiversity hotspot and home to rarest species, is currently under serious threat from anthropogenic activities. Due to untrammeled development and exploitation of natural ... |
Biodiversity often means linguistic diversity - Bits Of Science
Biodiversity often means linguistic diversity Bits Of Science Biodiversity hot spots — the world's biologically richest and most threatened locations on Earth — and high biodiversity wilderness areas — biologically rich but less threatened — are some of the most linguistically diverse regions on our planet, ... |
Ecosystem effects of biodiversity loss could rival impacts of climate change ... - Phys.Org
Ecosystem effects of biodiversity loss could rival impacts of climate change ... Phys.Org Muilla maritima, one of over 100 native species found on Coyote Ridge, flowers in the foreground, while former WWU graduate student Daniel Slakey samples plant diversity to investigate encroachment of exotic species into this biodiversity hotspot. |