Biodiversity is the diversity of living organisms, including ecosystems and habitats. This includes the genetic variation among individual species, and the relationships between them. It also encompasses the structure and function of ecosystems. Biodiversity is a keystone of Earth’s ecological balance, and essential for our survival.

Biodiverity supports food security and livelihoods through a variety of benefits, including pollination, pest control, soil health and water quality. It also contributes to the development of medicines and other healthcare products. In addition, biodiversity is a source of recreation and aesthetic enjoyment. As ecosystems decline and biodiversity is lost, so too does the diversity of natural places that sustain people’s mental and physical wellbeing.

From a conservation perspective, it is important to recognize that not all species are equal in terms of their value for biodiversity maintenance and conservation. A number of approaches exist for assigning conservation value, such as a hierarchy based on genetic distinctiveness (from sister populations along a genealogical to phylogenetic continuum) and geographic (bioregional) context.

Biodiversity is under threat worldwide, with estimates suggesting that extinction rates are 10 to 100 times higher than they would be without human activity. The loss of biodiversity threatens critical ecosystem services, such as the production and cycling of nutrients, carbon storage, water purification and flood control. It is also leading to the loss of a wide range of habitats, including tropical rainforests, coral reefs, wetlands and mangrove swamps. The human cost of this biodiversity crisis is high.