biodiversity

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References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

measuring biodiversity

How Manú National Park in Peru protects biodiversity

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

Yellowstone National Park

Ka‘u silversword

Why are rainforests so important?

biodiversity loss

terrestrial hot spots of biodiversity

How is biodiversity good for the economy?

Explore with German biologist Matthias Kopfmüller and his team to document one of the world's rich biodiversity in the waters off Indonesia

For Students

biodiversity summary

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Community service - volunteers picking up garbage in a park during a spring cleanup. Environmentalism

A Timeline of Environmental History

A large school of mano (sharks) called Galapagos sharks at Maro Reef in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)a worldwide species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae.

Saving Sharks in the 2020s

Portrait of a mountain gorilla at a short distance. gorilla close up portrait.The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Falling Stars: 10 of the Most Famous Endangered Species

Discover

Lake Mead (the impounded Colorado River) at the Hoover Dam. The light-coloured band of rock above the shoreline shows the decrease in water level in the first few years of the 21st century.

6 Lakes That Are Drying Up

airplane in flight (plane, aircraft, flying)

7 Puzzling Plane Disappearances

Dancers at a Cinco de Mayo festival at the Mission District, San Francisco, California. (Photo dated 2019.) holidays

Is Cinco de Mayo Mexico's Independence Day?

San Francisco, California/USA-1/18/20: Womens March at Civic Center marching with signs of political protest regarding equality also embracing 2020 presidential candidates and celebrating equality

How Does the U.S. Government Define the Difference Between a Protest and a Riot?

Time zone map with standard time zones and International Date Line

Why Are Some Time Zones 30 Minutes Off Instead of an Hour?

Statue of Nostradamus

Nostradamus and His Prophecies

An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

biodiversity: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: May 31, 2025

News •

Council to extend 'no mow' regime to more High Peak areas • May 30, 2025, 7:41 PM ET (BBC)

Scientists want to track the world's biodiversity using DNA in the air • May 22, 2025, 6:57 AM ET (NPR)

Yuli Township criticized for non-native park fish • May 16, 2025, 7:53 AM ET (Taipei Times)

Facts

Also Known As	species diversity • biological diversity

Photos and Videos

measuring biodiversity

Yellowstone National Park

Ka‘u silversword

biodiversity loss

terrestrial hot spots of biodiversity

How Manú National Park in Peru protects biodiversity

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

Why are rainforests so important?

How is biodiversity good for the economy?

Explore with German biologist Matthias Kopfmüller and his team to document one of the world's rich biodiversity in the waters off Indonesia

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

biodiversity loss relative abundance hot spot species abundance species richness conservation climate change species Why are rainforests so important?speciation indicator species trophic pyramid biogeochemical cycle keystone species guild ecotone biotic potential niche population biogeographic region

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Quiz

Pollination. Bee collecting pollen & nectar from a flower. Plant insect

Biodiversity Loss

List

Portrait of a mountain gorilla at a short distance. gorilla close up portrait.The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Falling Stars: 10 of the Most Famous Endangered Species