BIODIVERSITY the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically
to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants,
bacteria, animals, and humans. Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and
animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of
which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery. 
Over generations, all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them
distinct from other species. These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms
that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are
considered different species. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species.
Scientists are interested in how much biodiversity there is on a global scale, given that there is still so much
biodiversity to discover. They also study how many species exist in single ecosystems, such as a forest, grassland,
tundra, or lake. A single grassland can contain a wide range of species, from beetles to snakes to antelopes.
Ecosystems that host the most biodiversity tend to have ideal environmental conditions for plant growth, like the
warm and wet climate of tropical regions. Ecosystems can also contain species too small to see with the naked eye.
Looking at samples of soil or water through a microscope reveals a whole world of bacteria and other tiny organisms.
Some areas in the world, such as areas of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the southwestern United States, and
Madagascar, have more biodiversity than others. Areas with extremely high levels of biodiversity are called
hotspots. Endemic species—species that are only found in one particular location—are also found in hotspots.
All of the Earth’s species work together to survive and maintain their ecosystems. For example, the grass in
pastures feeds cattle. Cattle then produce manure that returns nutrients to the soil, which helps to grow more grass.
This manure can also be used to fertilize cropland. Many species provide important benefits to humans, including
food, clothing, and medicine.
Much of the Earth’s biodiversity, however, is in jeopardy due to human consumption and other activities that
disturb and even destroy ecosystems. Pollution, climate change, and population growth are all threats to biodiversity.
These threats have caused an unprecedented rise in the rate of species extinction. Some scientists estimate that half
of all species on Earth will be wiped out within the next century. Conservation efforts are necessary to preserve
biodiversity and protect endangered species and their habitats.  
BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY
 Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the services they provide. The
following is a list of some of the benefits, or services, of biodiversity:
 Provisioning services such as food, clean water, timber, fiber and genetic resources
 Regulating services such as climate, floods, disease, water quality and pollination
 Cultural services such as recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits
 Supporting services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling

TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity includes three main types:
 diversity within species (genetic diversity),
 between species (species diversity) and;
 between ecosystems (ecosystem diversity).
Genetic Diversity
Every species on Earth is related to every other species through genetic connections. The more closely
related any two species are, the more genetic information they will share, and the more similar they will appear. An
organism’s closest relatives are members of its own species, or organisms with which it has the potential to mate and
produce offspring. Members of a species share genes, the bits of biochemical information that determine, in part,
how the animals look, behave and live. One eastern gray squirrel, for example, shares the vast majority of its genes
with other eastern gray squirrels, whether they live in the same area or are separated by thousands of miles.
Members of a species also share complex mating behaviors that enable them to recognize each other as
potential mates.
For virtually every species there is a similar and closely related species in an adjacent habitat. Western,
instead of eastern, gray squirrels are found west of the Rocky Mountains. Although western gray squirrels are more
similar to than different from their eastern counterparts, these animals do not share a common mating behavior with
eastern gray squirrels. Even when brought into close proximity, eastern and western gray squirrels do not mate — so
they constitute two distinct species.
Each species also has other, more remotely related species with which it shares a more general set of
characteristics. Gray squirrels, chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs all belong to the squirrel family because they
share a number of features, such as tooth number and shape and details of skull and muscle anatomy. All of these
animals are rodents, a large group of more distantly related animals who share similar, chisel-like incisor teeth that
grow continuously. All rodents are related to a broader group, mammals. Mammals have hair, raise their young on
milk and have three bones in the middle ear. All mammals, in turn, are more distantly related to other animals with
backbones, or vertebrates. All these organisms are animals but share a common cell structure with plants, fungi and
some microbes. Finally, all living organisms share a common molecule, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and most also have
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
While all species have descended from a single, common ancestor, species diverge and develop their own
peculiar attributes with time, thus making their own contribution to biodiversity.
Species Diversity
Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or a region. Species are the basic units of biological
classification and thus the normal measure of biological diversity. Species richness is the term that describes the
number of different species in a given area. The world total is estimated at five to 10 million species, though only 1.75
million have been named scientifically so far.
Some habitats, such as rainforests and coral reefs, have many species. For example, tropical North and South
America has about 85,000 flowering plant species, tropical and subtropical Asia has more than 50,000 and tropical
and subtropical Africa has about 35,000. By contrast, all of Europe has 11,300 vascular plants. Yet other areas, such
as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer species. Species are grouped together into families according to shared
characteristics.
Ecological Diversity
Ecological diversity is the intricate network of different species present in local ecosystems and the dynamic interplay
between them. An ecosystem consists of organisms from many different species living together in a region and their
connections through the flow of energy, nutrients and matter. Those connections occur as the organisms of different
species interact with one another. The ultimate source of energy in almost every ecosystem is the sun. The sun’s
radiant energy is converted to chemical energy by plants. That energy flows through the systems when animals eat
the plants and then are eaten, in turn, by other animals. Fungi derive energy by decomposing organisms, which
releases nutrients back into the soil. Thus, an ecosystem is a collection of living components (microbes, plants,
animals and fungi) and nonliving components (climate and chemicals) that are connected by energy flow. Measuring
ecological diversity is difficult because each of Earth’s ecosystems merges into the ecosystems around it.

What Are Adaptations?

Adaptations are inheritable characteristics that increase an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in an
environment. Adaptations can help an organism find food and water, protect itself, or manage in extreme
environments. Adaptations develop gradually over long periods of time and through many generations of the species.
Individuals with characteristics that are advantageous are usually the survivors who live on to reproduce and
contribute offspring to future generations.

Physical adaptations are body structures that help an organism find and consume food and water, protect itself, cope
with tough environments, and reproduce. Behavioral adaptations are actions an organism takes to survive. 

ANIMAL ADAPTATION
Adaptations are any behavioral or physical characteristics of an animal that help it to survive in its environment.
These characteristics fall into three main categories: body parts, body coverings, and behaviors. Any or all of these
types of adaptations play a critical role in the survival of an animal. Adaptations can be either physical or behavioral.
A physical adaptation is some type of structural modification made to a part of the body. A behavioral adaptation is
something an animal does - how it acts - usually in response to some type of external stimulus.

Animal Adaptations -- Vocabulary Adaptation A body part, body covering, or behavior that helps an animal survive in
its environment. Behavior The actions of an animal. Camouflage A color or shape in an animal's body covering that
helps it blend into its environment. Environment Everything that surrounds and affects a living thing. The environment
includes non-living things, such as water and air, as well as other living things. Habitat The place where an animal
lives. The physical characteristics of an animal's surroundings. Inborn Behavior (instinct) A behavior an animal is
born with and does not have to learn. Mimicry An adaptation in which an otherwise harmless animal looks like a
harmful animal in order to protect itself. Predator An animal that hunts and eats other animals for food. Prey An
animal that is taken and eaten by another animal (predator) for food. Survive/Survival Using adaptations to continue
to live.
 ORGANISMS AND HOW THEY OBTAIN ENERGY
Cells cannot survive on their own. They need energy to stay alive. They need the energy to perform functions such
as growth, maintaining balance, repair, reproduction, movement, and defense. This means all living organisms must
obtain and use energy to live.

Energy is the power to do things. This power comes in many ways and forms, but they can all be linked to the sun. It
is the source of all energy.

A living organism can either make its own food or depend on others to make food for them. For example, green
plants produce their own food from a process called photosynthesis. They use the chloroplasts in their cells to
capture energy in sunlight. They combine it with water and carbon dioxide from the air to produce sugars for
themselves. Green plants are therefore known as producers or autotrophs. Bacteria can also make their own food or
breakdown food.

Other organisms eat green plants (which has a store of the energy they produce) to obtain energy. They are known
as consumers or heterotrophs. Rabbits and sheep are examples of consumers. Herbivores, carnivores, and
omnivores are all consumers, and they all have to go find food to give them energy.

The process of obtaining and using energy by living organisms is best explained by three important scientific terms
namely Anabolism, Catabolism, and Metabolism. Take a look at the illustration below:

Anabolism (constructive anabolism)

This is a process whereby living organisms use simpler substances to put together or build complex substances such
as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for storage. Such activity is known as an anabolic activity.

Catabolism (destructive catabolism)

This is when the cells in living organisms, breakdown complex substances and molecules into simpler substances,
often to release energy for use.

Metabolism
This is the sum of all the chemical reactions (anabolic and catabolic activities) that go on in the cells of living
organisms. It is a continuous process because the moment metabolism stops, the living organism will die.
Photosynthesis, the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical
energy. During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water, carbon dioxide,
and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds.

Cellular Respiration
It is tempting to think of cellular respiration as the opposite of photosynthesis. If you look at the illustration from our
book, below, you'll see why:

Do you see the way the chemical formula for cellular respiration is the reverse of the chemical formula for
photosynthesis? The only real difference is that in one, the energy is sunlight and in the second, the energy is the
ATP molecule. It's that reversal that makes many people think of photosynthesis and cellular respiration as being
opposites. They are not! Rather, they are complementary to one another. Without photosynthesis, there would be no
sugar, without which there could be no cellular respiration. On the other hand, cellular respiration produces the H2O
and CO2 that are needed for photosynthesis. It's really important for you to remember that cellular respiration in
eukaryotic cells takes place in the mitochondria. Both animal cells and plant cells depend on cellular respiration for
their energy needs, because both animal cells and plant cells need ATP. Plant cells may be able to use the energy
from the sun to make sugar, but they can't use the sun's energy as fuel. They need ATP the same way that animal
cells do, and ATP can only be formed through cellular respiration. The illustration below from your book shows the
way that photosynthesis and cellular respiration complement each other.