What is Biodiversity?
 Biodiversity means the richness and variety
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of life - of genes, species and ecosystem
Biodiversity maintains the health of the
earth and its people.
It provides us with food and medicine and
contributes to our economy
The greater the variety of species, the
healthier the biosphere
Biodiversity is not evenly distributed. It
varies greatly across the globe as well as
within regions. Among other factors, the
diversity of all living things (biota) depends
on temperature, precipitation,
altitude, soils, geography and the presence
of other species
What is Sustainability?
The ability to maintain ecological processes
over long periods of time
 Sustainability of an ecosystem is the ability
of that ecosystem to maintain its structure
and function over time in the face of
external stress
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Biodiversity and Sustainability
 The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to the
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sustainability of that ecosystem
Higher/more biodiversity = more sustainable
Lower/less biodiversity = less sustainable.
High biodiversity in an ecosystem means that there is
a great variety of genes and species
A great variety of genes and species means that the
ecosystem is better able to carry out natural processes
in the face of external stress
So, the ecosystem is more sustainable
Biodiversity supports Ecosystems
 Biodiversity is necessary for life.
 Every species is linked with many others in an
ecosystem. All animals are part of food webs that
include plants and animals of other species.
 Minor disruptions in a particular ecosystem tend to
lead to changes that eventually restore the system.
 But large disturbances of living populations or their
environments may result in irreversible changes.
 Higher biodiversity=more sustainable=healthier
ecosystem
Cont’d
 Biodiversity regulates the chemistry of our atmosphere
and water supply
 It is directly involved in water purification, recycling
nutrients, and providing fertile soils
 Biodiversity supports ecosystem services including air
quality, climate (e.g., CO2 sequestration), water
purification, pollination, and prevention of erosion