What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the abundant variety of life on Earth, our interconnections, and our complexities. Tigers, insects, flowers, and trees. Monkeys, snakes, mushrooms, and bees. Biodiversity is the estimated 10 million plant and animal species that share our planet and the role each plays in nature’s unique design.

Biodiversity- Nature's Balance

Our planet is made up of delicate systems with complex relationships. Animals and plants have evolved in unison and interact in myriad ways. Ecosystems with healthy populations and a wide variety of plants and animals are self-balancing. Bees and bats pollinate trees and plants, predators control prey, and trees control flooding and moderate our climate. No one animal or plant exists in isolation - not even us.

Nature's Collapse

Removing just one native species, or introducing a non-native one, can have a cascading effect on the surrounding ecosystem. The case of the the wolf in Yellowstone National Park demonstrates how a single species' presence impacts the entire park (the ecosystem). The wolves restored the park's natural order and made it whole again. They controlled the Elk population which brought back vegetation, the beavers, and freshwater.

Why is Biodiversity Important?

10M

Estimated species living on Earth

1.6M

Species identified by science

85%

Of species yet to be studied

All Life on Earth Has Value

Scientists estimate that 10 million species live on Earth, yet only about 1.6 million are known to science. This means we have studied less than 1 out of 5 living species, and their unique role in nature is unknown. Studied or not, every species that vanishes is a loss for our planet, a loss for humanity.

Biodiversity In The News

Although climate change and biodiversity loss are intricately linked and both have profound implications for humanity, media outlets worldwide have traditionally focused far fewer resources and headlines on reporting about biodiversity loss. To help spread the word about this important crisis, we've curated some of the most compelling news coverage on biodiversity--what it is, how it connects us all, and the important role it plays in sustaining all life on Earth, including our own.