What is biodiversity and why does it matter?
Biodiversity is the spectacular variety of life
on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things:
the spectacular variety of life...
So far, scientists have identified more than 1.75 million species on Earth. Millions of species - perhaps tens of millions -- remain unknown to us. In the Museum's entomology department alone, there are as many as 100,000 species of arthropods that have yet to be identified and classified.
The essential interdependence of all living things...
Life on Earth is made possible by complex interactions among all living things including microscopic species like algae and mites. Their activities provide us with clean air, pure water, fertile soil, and other essential services that ultimately sustain all life on the planet.
Why is it important to record all these organisms--to count biodiversity?
The amount of biodiversity in the world matters. It is essential for a healthy planet.
We know:
- that the Earth is losing species at an alarming rate - perhaps as many as three species an hour, or 20,000 extinctions a year.
- that most of this loss is due to human activity.
- that when species of plants and animals go extinct, we lose essential links in the web of life. Many other species are affected.
We don't know:
- how many species there are -- the vast majority are undiscovered.
- what role they play in keeping habitats and ecosystems alive.
What we don't know can hurt us.
Scientists are trying to find out the answers to these questions before it is too late. How can we tell if an ecosystem is changing -- is the water getting cleaner? are there fewer songbirds? is the number of pine trees staying the same? -- unless its composition has been observed and documented? Without the numbers, we can't protect the resource.