biodiversity

• Biodiversity, literally biological diversity or biological variety, includes species, habitat (or ecosystem) and genetic diversity.
• Biodiversity is most commonly considered at the species level, which includes different types of organisms.
• Genetic diversity is a part of biodiversity.
• Species diversity is a part of biodiversity.
• Ecosystem diversity is a part of biodiversity.
• Expanding human populations are degrading environments at accelerating rates, particularly in the tropics and in Asia, leading to the Anthropocene epoch.
• Biodiversity is declining due to habitat destruction/degradation, biological invasions and global environmental change.
• Science is rediscovering new uses for biodiversity that can relieve human suffering and improve conditions of life.
• Humans share an evolutionary history with other species, descent from a common ancestor.
• Biodiversity: across latitudes, types of ecosystems, habitats and numbers of species differ.
• Among habitats/ecosystems, for example, tropical rainforests cover 7% of Earth’s surface but contain over half of described species.
• Non-insect invertebrates in Hong Kong's biodiversity include 2000-3000 species.
• Within habitats/ecosystems, microhabitats differ in species richness, for example, forest canopy vs leaf litter/soil.
• Among taxa, species richness varies among taxonomic groups.
• Tropical hyperdiversity: the proportion of species found within tropical latitudes.
• Insect biomass in Germany has declined by 76-82% due to habitat destruction, biological invasions, pollution, and over-exploitation.
• The estimated historical extent of tropical rain forests is unknown.
• Many insect species are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction or degradation, biological invasions, pollution, over-exploitation, and climate change.
• Forest area decreased from 10^6 ha from 1990 to 2010.
• Tropical rainforest supports more than 50% of species on Earth, and not only tropical rainforest is of concern.
• Loss of species and genetic information is irreversible, as the species or its gene pool cannot be replaced, and extinction is forever.
• Genetic resources of wild species can enhance domesticated species, or have potential for pharmacological use and biotechnologies.
• The fossil record indicates that 'natural' rates of extinction among animal groups averages around 0.1 species per million species per year, with a range of 0.02-0.14.
• Extrapolation suggests that all tropical rainforest will disappear by 2135, but most will be degraded earlier.
• Some insect species will probably disappear before scientists can name or study them.
• The current distribution of lowland tropical rain forests is estimated to be less than 10% of the historical extent.
• Humans are unlikely to preserve what they do not value.
• The loss of species today, at a rate of 1 species per 1000 species per year, is more than 10,000 times faster than in the past.
• The potential to benefit humanity from biodiversity, represented by option value, is lost upon extinction.
• The IUCN Red List lists only 872 extinct species, representing 0.04% of described species, with most extinctions being vertebrate based.
• Biodiversity is distributed across latitudes, with 5% freshwater, 80% terrestrial and 15% marine.
• The majority of species diversity is terrestrial, with eukaryotic life in oceans dating back 2 billion years and on land 542 million years.
• Oceans cover 71% of Earth and include 90-99% of habitable biosphere.
• An equal geographic representation of biodiversity is represented by percentage of land mass occupied in proportion of species richness known per taxon, with insects having the highest percentage.
• Biodiversity: among taxa, the number of species varies from insects to fishes, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, nematodes, molluscs, annelids, platyhelminthes, bryozoa, plants and fungi.
• Biodiversity: within species, there is variation among populations or different gene pools.
• Heritage value in biodiversity is for future generations, as we borrow the Earth from our children.
• Moral value in biodiversity is related to ethical beliefs and evolution from a common ancestor.
• Biodiversity has consumptive and commodity value through timber, fibre, pharmaceuticals, food, fisheries, etc.
• Consequences of loss of species are unpredictable as we don't know what many species do, and some may be keystone species.