According to the Smithsonian Institution, biodiversity has
three components. "Genetic biodiversity" refers to inherited
variations within an animal or plant population. For example, the Irish Potato
Famine was the result of a fungus blight that targeted spuds. Deficient
diversity can be natural to an area or induced by humans, but in either case
there is a risk to a population's continued existence.
The second aspect, "species richness," refers to
the number of species located in a particular ecosystem. A healthy environment
tends to support a wide-ranging assortment of flora and fauna. In addition,
global location affects diversity: More variation is found within the tropics,
especially in the western Pacific region. A change in one species, however, can
affect others.
The final aspect, "ecosystem diversity," considers
the types of habitats within an environment. For example, does it have
grasslands, freshwater, saltwater or forests? Low diversity within an
ecosystem, however, does not necessarily indicate a crisis.
Genetic diversity, species richness, ecosystem diversity:
all are important for a well-functioning environment. A loss of biodiversity
can produce long-term, far-reaching effects.
Resource: Susan Sherwood
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