Pause for a moment to take in your surroundings. What do you see? Perhaps you’re surrounded by houseplants and pets, or maybe you are in an urban cafe, where a pigeon or two peck at crumbs outside on the sidewalk and a planter box filled with flowers adds some color to the otherwise unnatural landscape. Maybe you live in the country, and looking out your window, you can see a number of different plants and animals. Wherever you are and whatever you see, you are experiencing biodiversity in action.
What is Biodiversity?
The definition of biodiversity is that it is the degree of variation of life forms within a specified area or within a species or group of species; the term can also be used to refer to an entire planet, just like the one we live on. It is a function of climate, and it is a measure of the health of a particular ecosystem or set of ecosystems. It is a measure of life.
Since life on Earth first began, scientists have determined that five mass extinctions and several other minor extinction events have wiped out most species, with new ones rising up to take their places. Some estimate that under one percent of all the species present on the planet today existed millions of years ago.
Ecosystems
Ecosystems occur everywhere. Rainforests, coral reefs, mangrove forests, deciduous seasonal forests, tundra, and even what appear to our eyes to be arctic wastelands are ecosystems. These systems each support unique life forms including plants, animals, fish, invertebrates, insects, and microscopic organisms, plus they intertwine to create the greater web of life on earth. As they interact with one another, they create balance and harmony, supporting one another in ways that were once never even imaginable.
Species
Are you sitting down? There are an estimated 8.7 million unique species inhabiting this planet, with some being much more plentiful than others. This biodiversity estimate is based on a scientific formula that takes the already catalogued 1.2 million unique species. This number suggests that 86% of land species and 91% of marine species have yet to be identified, remaining undiscovered for now. The scientists who came up with this number estimate that it will take approximately 500 years to identify and catalogue the rest of the earth’s species; so long as they are not wiped out beforehand.
Genetics
Genetics play an important part in biodiversity; the more divers genetics are, the greater a species’ chance to thrive and survive. This is one more reason we must preserve species before they become critically endangered or even threatened; the shallower the gene pool, the weaker the species will become.
All of these factors interplay with one another, creating fantastic opportunities for exploration. To see the greatest biodiversity in action, all you have to do is take a very close look at just about any natural environment, be it a coral reef, or your own back yard. The number of species present will probably boggle your mind, and captivate your imagination. Learn all you can about this phenomenon, then take steps to educate others. If each of us makes an effort, we’ll find even more enjoyment in exploring the wonders of nature.