Biological diversity, also known as biodiversity, refers to the variety of life forms found in an ecosystem or on Earth as a whole. It encompasses genetic diversity within species, species diversity within communities, and ecosystem diversity across landscapes.
Imagine a garden with different types of flowers, insects buzzing around them, birds singing in nearby trees, and worms crawling through the soil. This diverse array of living organisms represents biological diversity.
Species Richness: Species richness is a measure that quantifies how many different species are present in a given area or community.
Endangered Species: Endangered species are those that face a high risk of extinction in the near future if their populations continue to decline.
Ecosystem Services: Ecosystem services are benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to human well-being. These include things like clean air and water, pollination of crops by insects, and regulation of climate.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.