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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.
Definition Biodiversity News
Banking on Biodiversity: A New Commitment to Conserve Nature - Forbes
Banking on Biodiversity: A New Commitment to Conserve Nature Forbes How do these revised definitions relate, for example, to the definition of biodiversity agreed in the Convention on Biological Diversity? Or how do they relate to the IFC's (a Declaration signatory) Performance Standard 6 on Biodiversity Conservation ... |
The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform 10 Years On: Biodiversity ... - Forbes
The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform 10 Years On: Biodiversity ... Forbes Importantly, the companies now have an agreed definition of sustainable agriculture: “a productive, competitive and efficient way to produce safe agricultural products, while at the same time protecting and improving the natural environment and ... |
Malta's marine protected areas in stunning blu-ray - Malta Independent Online
Malta's marine protected areas in stunning blu-ray Malta Independent Online ... which are highly popular with divers for their rich biodiversity, can now be appreciated in two short documentaries which offer impressive footage thanks to blu-ray technology, which goes one step further than high definition. |
A day for every cause - NorthJersey.com
 NorthJersey.com | A day for every cause NorthJersey.com BY KARA YORIO While pondering biodiversity issues like endangered species, climate and ecosystem change, have some vanilla pudding, then go pick up a new guitar, because it's also Buy-a-Musical-Instrument Day and National Vanilla Pudding Day! |
Batad, Coron, Taal, and more on 'Islands Insider' on Nat Geo - GMA News
Batad, Coron, Taal, and more on 'Islands Insider' on Nat Geo GMA News ... is equivalent to roughly 10 times the Galapagos Islands in terms of sheer biodiversity. Compared to the misty rice terraces of the previous episode, Coron's sun-drenched vistas are a revelation, taking full advantage of the high definition format. |