Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Biodiversity |
BiodiversityNoun1. The diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat (or in the world as a whole); "a high level of biodiversity is desirable". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
| Domain | Definitions |
Agriculture | In general, the variety and variation among plants, animals, and microorganisms, and among their ecosystems. It has 3 levels: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic (within species) diversity. The concept of maintaining biodiversity holds that civilization should preserve the greatest possible number of existing species so that a highly diverse genetic pool, which can be tapped for useful and beneficial characteristics, will be available into the future. Genetic diversity provides resources for genetic resistance to pests and diseases. In agriculture, biodiversity is a production system characterized by the presence of multiple plant and/or animal species, as contrasted with the genetic specialization of monoculture. (or biological diversity). (references) |
Avian | (1) the variety of life forms, the ecological roles they perform, and the genetic diversity they contain (Wilcox 1984:640); (2) the variety from molecular, population, and interspecific levels up to the heterogeneity of ecosystems and landscapes (Hansen and diCastri 1992:5) (syn. biological diversity). (references) |
Environment | Refers to the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. Diversity can be defined as the number of different items and their relative frequencies. For biological diversity, these items are organized at many levels, ranging from complete ecosystems to the biochemical structures that are the molecular basis of heredity. Thus, the term encompasses different ecosystems, species, and genes. (references) |
Science | The totality of genes, species, and ecosystems in a region or the world. (references) |
| Multiple species at a particular location, site, etc. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Biodiversity or biological diversity is a neologism from biology and diversity. It is the diversity of and in living nature.
The word biodiversity was first coined by the entomologist E.O. Wilson in 1986, in a report for the first American Forum on biological diversity, organized by the National Research Council. The word 'biodiversity' was suggested to him by the staff of NRC, to replace biological diversity, considered to be less effective in terms of communication. The term biological diversity itself, was coined by Thomas Lovejoy in 1980.
Since 1986 the term and the concept have achieved widespread use among biologists, environmentalists, political leaders, and concerned citizens world-wide. It coincided well with the expansion of concern over extinction observed in the last decades of the 20th century.
Biological diversity (in short, biodiversity) has no single standard definition. One definition holds that
biological diversity is a measure of the relative diversity among organisms present in different ecosystems. 'Diversity' in this definition includes diversity within species, among species, and comparative diversity among ecosystems.
Another definition, simpler and clearer, but more challenging, is the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region. An advantage of this definition is that it seems to describe most instances of its use, and one possibly unified view of the traditional three levels at which biodiversity has been identified:
If the gene is the fundamental unit of natural selection,thus of evolution, some, like E.O. Wilson, say that the real biodiversity is the genetic diversity. However, the species diversity is the easiest one to study.
Biodiversity has contributed in many ways to the development of human culture, and, in turn, human communities have played a major role in shaping the diversity of nature at the genetic, species, and ecological levels.
For all humans, it is first a resource for daily life, providing food (crops, livestock, forestry, and fish), fibers for clothing, wood for shelter and warmth, medication, and energy. Such 'crop diversity' is also called agrobiodiversity.
Ecosystems also provide us various supports of production (soil fertility, pollinators, predators, decomposition of wastes...) and services such as purification of the air and water, stabilisation and moderation of the climate, decrease of flooding, drought and other environmental disasters.
If biological resources represent an ecological interest for the community, their economic value is also increasing. New products are developed thanks to biotechnologies, and new markets created. For society, biodiversity also is a field of activity and profit. It requires a proper management setup to determine how these resources are to be used.
Finally, the role of biodiversity is to be a mirror of our relationships with the other living species, an ethical view with rights, duties, and education.
See also: ecotourism, cultural diversity, local food.
From the viewpoint previously defined, no single objective measure of biodiversity is possible, only measures relating to particular purposes or applications.
For practical conservationists, this measure should quantify a value that is at the same time broadly shared among locally-affected people.
For others, a broader and more economically defensible definition is that measures should allow to ensure continued possibilities both for adaptation and future use by people, assuring environmental sustainability. As a consequence, biologists argued that this measure is likely to be associated with the variety of genes. Since it cannot always be said which genes are more likely to prove beneficial, the best choice for conservation is to assure the persistence of as many genes as possible.
For ecologists, this approach is sometimes considered inadequate and too restricted.
Biodiversity is not static: it is a system in constant evolution, from a species, as well as from an individual organism point of view. The average half-life of a species is around one million years and 99% of the species that have ever lived on earth are today extinct.
Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on earth. It is consistently richer in the tropics. As one approaches polar regions one finds larger and larger populations of fewer and fewer spewcies. Flora and fauna vary depending on climate, altitude, soils and the presence of other species. For a listing of distinct ecoregions based on these distributions, see the WikiProject Ecoregions.
Systematics assesses biodiversity simply by distinguishing among species. At least 1.75 million species have been described; however, the estimates of the true number of current species range from 3.6 to more than 100 million. Some also say that the knowledge of the species and the families became insufficient and must be supplemented by a greater comprehension of the functions, interactions and communities. Moreover, exchanges of genes occurring between the species tend to complexify the inventory.
Ecologists and environmentalists were the first to insist on the economic aspect of biological diversity protection. Thus, Edward O. Wilson wrote in 1992, that la biodiversité est l'une des plus grandes richesses de la planète, et pourtant la moins reconnue comme telle.
Most people see biodiversity as a reservoir of resources to be drawn upon for the manufacture of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products. This concept of biological resources management probably explains most fears of resources disappearance related to the erosion of the biodiversity. However, it is also is the origin of new conflicts dealing with rules of division and appropriation of natural ressources.
Economic estimation of the value of biodiversity is a necessary precondition to any discussion on the distribution of biodiversity richnesses. This goal must also make it possible to determine financial means to devote to its protection. This new field of study is called: economic value of biodiversity.
During the last decades, an erosion of biodiversity was observed. A majority of biologists believe that a mass extinction is under way. Although divided over the numbers, many scientifics believe that the rate of loss is greater now than at any time in history.
Some studies show that about one of eight known plant species is threatened with extinction. Every year, between 17,000 and 100,000 species vanish from our planet. Some people say that up to 1/5 of all living species could disappear within 30 years. Nearly all say that the losses are due to human activities, in particular destruction of plant and animal habitats.
Some justify this situation not so much by a species overuse or ecosystem degradation than by their conversion in very standardized ecosystems (e.g., monoculture following deforestation). Before 1992, others pointed out that no property rights or no access regulation of resources necessarily lead to their decrease (degrading costs having to be supported by the community).
Among the dissenters, some argue that there are not enough data to support the view of mass extinction, and say abusive extrapolations are being made on the global destruction of rainforests, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and other rich habitats.
The conservation of biological diversity has become a global concern. Although not everybody agrees on extent and significance of current extinction, most consider biodiversity essential.
There are basically two main types of conservation options, in-situ and ex-situ conservation. In-situ conservation. In-situ is usually seen as the ultimate conservation strategy. However, its implementation is sometimes unfeasible. For example, destruction of rare or endangered species' habitats sometimes requires ex-situ conservation efforts. Furthermore, ex-situ conservation can provide a backup solution to in-situ conservation projects. Some believe both types of conservation are required to ensure proper preservation.
An example of an in-situ conservation effort is the setting-up of protection areas. An example of an ex-situ conservation effort, by contrast, would be planting germplasts in seedbanks. Such efforts allow the preservation of large populations of plants with minimal genetic erosion.
The threat to biological diversity was among the hot topics discussed at the UN World Summit for Sustainable Development, in hope of seeing the foundation of a Global Conservation Trust to help maintain plant collections.
See also: conservation, seedbank, IUCN, Global 200.
Biodiversity must be evaluated and its evolution analysed (through observations, inventories, conservation...) then it must be taken into account in political decisions. It is beginning to receive a juridical setting.
New global agreements (Convention on Biological Diversity), now gives sovereign national rights over biological resources (not property). The idea of static conservation of biodiversity is diseappearing and being replaced by the idea of a dynamic conservation, through the notion of resource and innovation.
The new agreements commit countries to conserve the biodiversity, develop ressources for sustainability and share the benefits resulting from their use. Under these new rules, it is expected that bioprospecting or collection of natural products has to be allowed by the biodiversity-rich country, in exchange for a share of the benefits.
Sovereignety principles can rely upon what is better known as Access and Benefit Sharing Agreements (ABAs). The Convention on Biodiversity spirit implies a prior informed consent between the source country and the collector, to establish which resource will be used and for what, and to settle on a fair agreement on benefit sharing. Bioprospecting can become a type of biopiracy when those principles are not respected.
Biodiversity definitions
The three levels of biodiversity
The lattermost definition, which conforms to the traditional five organisation layers in biology, provides additional justification for multilevel approaches.Biodiversity and approaches
What are biodiversity's roles?
Evaluation of biodiversity
How to measure biodiversity?
Biodiversity: time and space
Species inventory
'Hotspots' of biodiversity
See also: biogeography, Amazonian forest, species inventory, extinction.Economic value of biodiversity
Is biodiversity threatened?
Biodiversity management: conservation, preservation and protection
Juridical status of biological diversity
The 1972 UNESCO convention established that biological resources, such as plants, were common heritage of mankind. These rules probably inspired the creation of great public banks of genetic resources, located outside the source-countries.See also
External links
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Biodiversity."
Synonym: BiodiversitySynonym: Biological diversity. (additional references) |
Crosswords: Biodiversity |
| Specialty definitions using "biodiversity": Gap analysis. (references) |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Currents and Temperature - Atlantic waters enter the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar and flow east along the North African coast, becoming more saline as evaporation exceeds freshwater inflows. Thus, the Mediterranean is mor e saline than the Atlantic. Strong temperature, salinity, and available nutrien t gradients lead to high biodiversity reflected by regional faunal differences.Credit: Fisheries. |  | Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Key Island, a barrier island, was infested with Australian pine trees, an invasive non-native plant that resul ted in significant loss of biodiversity of native plant communities. Salt-toler ant, they have shallow root systems that cause them to topple easily in high win ds, creating obstacles for Atlantic loggerhead turtles trying to nest on beach.Credit: National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERR). |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | In recent years national and local governments have been seriously concerned with the environmental resource problems associated with the overuse and abuse of agrochemical products in agricultural development, which has created environmental problems such as resource degradation, biodiversity decrease and farmland pollution. (references) | |
Economic History | Papua New Guinea | The U.S. also supports Papua New Guinea's efforts to protect biodiversity. (references) |
Solomon Islands | The United States also supports efforts to protect biodiversity in the Solomon Islands. (references) | |
South Africa | In international environmental organizations, South Africa is seen as a key leader among developing countries on issues such as climate change, conservation, and biodiversity. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Philippines | The law also assigns the indigenous groups the responsibility to preserve forest, watershed, and biodiversity areas in their domains from inappropriate development. (references) |
Suriname | During an annual meeting in September, the Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs in Suriname discussed socio-economic problems, land rights, nature reserves, and biodiversity. (references) | |
Trade | Ukraine | The project aims to conserve biodiversity and assist with sustainable development on the Ukrainian coast and upland sites of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Biodiversity" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Biodiversity" is used about 86 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 86 | 35,638 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "biodiversity"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | "物多 性. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | tab af artsrigdom (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | vermindering vd biologische rijkdom (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), verarming vd soortrijkheid (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), verarming vd soortenrijkdom (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), verarming vd soortendiversiteit (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), verarming vd diversiteit (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), Afdeling Biodiversiteit en Bossen (Biodiversity and Forests Division). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | perte de la diversité biologique (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity), Division Biodiversité et Forêts (Biodiversity and Forests Division). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | biodiversität, artenvielfalt. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | ποικιλία ζωικών μορφών. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | perdita della diversit biologica (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 생물의 다양성. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | iodiversitybay perda da biodiversidade (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity). (various references) биологическая вариативность. (various references) pérdida de diversidad biológica (loss of biodiversity, loss of biological diversity). (various references) การมีจำนวนสัตว์และพืชหลากหลายและจำนวนมาก. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misspellings | |
"Biodiversity" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: biodeversity, biodivercity, biodivirsity. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "biodiversity" (pronounced bī'ōdīver"sutē) |
| 6 | -v er" s u t ē | adversity, diversity, perversity, university. |
| 4 | -s u t ē | analyticity, animosity, atrocity, audacity, authenticity, capacity, complexity, complicity, curiosity, density, domesticity, duplicity, eccentricity, elasticity, electricity, ethnicity, falsity, Felicity, ferocity, generosity, incapacity, intensity, laxity, mendacity, monstrosity, multiplicity, necessity, obesity, opacity, overcapacity, paucity, perplexity, pomposity, propensity, publicity, reciprocity, religiosity, scarcity, simplicity, specificity, tenacity, toxicity, varsity, velocity, veracity, virtuosity, viscosity, voracity. |
| 3 | -u t ē | ability, abnormality, absurdity, acceptability, accessibility, accountability, acidity, activity, actuality, acuity, adaptability, admissibility, advisability, affinity, affordability, aggressivity, agility, alacrity, alkalinity, ambiguity, amenity, amiability, amity, annuity, anonymity, antiquity, anxiety, applicability, austerity, authority, availability, banality, barbarity, believability, bestiality, bisexuality, brevity, brutality, calamity, capability, captivity, causality, cavity, celebrity, centrality, charity, chastity, civility, clarity, collegiality, commodity, commonality, community, comparability, compatibility, comprehensibility, conditionality, conductivity, confidentiality, conformity, congeniality, congruity, connectivity, constitutionality, continuity, convertibility, creativity, credibility, credulity, criminality, criticality, crotchety, culpability, cyclicality, debility, deductibility, deformity, deity, deniability, dependability, depravity, deputy, desirability, dexterity, dignity, dimensionality, disability, discontinuity, disparity, dissimilarity, disunity, divinity, docility, duality, ductility, durability, electability, eligibility, enforceability, enmity, enormity, entity, equality, equanimity, equity, eternity, eventuality, exclusivity, expressivity, extraterritoriality, extremity, facility, fallibility, familiarity, fatality, feasibility, femininity, fertility, festivity, fidelity, finality, flammability, flexibility, fluidity, formality, fragility, fraternity, frivolity, frugality, functionality, futility, generality, geniality, gentility, gratuity, gravity, gullibility, heredity, heterogeneity, heterosexuality, hilarity, homogeneity, homosexuality, hospitality, hostility, humanity, humidity, humility, hyperactivity, hypersensitivity, identity, illegality, illiquidity, immaturity, immobility, immorality, immortality, immunity, impartiality, impersonality, impossibility, impropriety, impunity, impurity, inability, inaccessibility, inactivity, incivility, incompatibility, incongruity, incredulity, indemnity, indestructibility, indignity, individuality, inequality, inequity, inevitability, infallibility, inferiority, infertility, infidelity, infinity, infirmity, inflexibility, informality, ingenuity, inhumanity, insanity, insecurity, insensitivity, instability, instrumentality, insularity, integrity, invincibility, invisibility, invulnerability, irrationality, irregularity, irresponsibility, irritability, laity, legality, legibility, lethality, levity, liability, liberality, liquidity, lividity, locality, longevity, majority, malleability, maneuverability, marketability, masculinity, materiality, maternity, maturity, mediocrity, mentality, minority, miscibility, mobility, modality, modernity, morality, morbidity, mortality, motility, municipality, musicality, mutuality, nationality, nativity, negativity, neutrality, nobility, Nonconformity, nonentity, nonutility, normality, notoriety, nudity, objectivity, obscenity, obscurity, oddity, opportunity, originality, oversensitivity, palatability, parity, partiality, particularity, passivity, paternity, peculiarity, permeability, perpetuity, personality, piety, plausibility, plurality, polarity, polity, popularity, portability, possibility, posterity, practicality, predictability, principality, priority, probability, probity, proclivity, productivity, profanity, profitability, progressivity, promiscuity, proportionality, propriety, prosperity, proximity, punctuality, purity, quality, quantity, radioactivity, rapidity, rarity, rationality, reactivity, readability, reality, receptivity, reflexivity, regularity, relativity, reliability, respectability, responsibility, retroactivity, rickety, rigidity, salinity, sanctity, sanity, seasonality, security, selectivity, senility, seniority, sensibility, sensitivity, sensuality, sentimentality, serendipity, serenity, severity, sexuality, similarity, sincerity, sobriety, society, solemnity, solidarity, solidity, sorority, speciality, spirituality, spontaneity, stability, sterility, stupidity, subjectivity, suitability, superconductivity, superfluidity, superiority, supermajority, surety, survivability, susceptibility, sustainability, technicality, temerity, theatricality, timidity, tonality, totality, tranquility, transferability, Trinity, triviality, turbidity, ubiquity, unanimity, unavailability, unfamiliarity, uniformity, unity, universality, unpopularity, unpredictability, unreality, unreliability, uppity, utility, validity, vanity, variability, variety, velvety, venality, Verity, versatility, viability, vicinity, virginity, virility, visibility, vitality, volatility, vulgarity, vulnerability. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "b-d-e-i-i-i-o-r-s-t-v-y" | |
-3 letters: diversity, erosivity, verbosity. | |
-4 letters: deorbits, diorites, overbids, sobriety, vibrioid, viridity. | |
-5 letters: bedirty, bestrid, birdies, bistred, borides, brevity, debtors, deorbit, destroy, devisor, devoirs, diorite, dirties, disobey, disrobe, ditsier, diverts, divisor, editors, ivories, obesity, obverts, orbiest, orbited, overbid, revisit, sortied, steroid, storied, strived, stroyed, tidiers, triodes, verbids, vibrios, viroids, visited, visiter, visitor, visored, voiders. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)42 69 6F 64 69 76 65 72 73 69 74 79 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references)-... .. --- -.. .. ...- . .-. ... .. - -.--. |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01000010 01101001 01101111 01100100 01101001 01110110 01100101 01110010 01110011 01101001 01110100 01111001 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)B i o d i v e r s i t y |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0042 0069 006F 0064 0069 0076 0065 0072 0073 0069 0074 0079 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)367581707588718485758691 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Photo Album 6. Quotations: Non-fiction 7. Usage Frequency 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Derivations 11. Rhymes 12. Anagrams | 13. Orthography 14. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
