| Learning / English Dictionary |
BIODIVERSITY
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat (or in the world as a whole)
Example:
a high level of biodiversity is desirable
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("biodiversity" is a kind of...):
diverseness; diversity; multifariousness; variety (noticeable heterogeneity)
Context examples:
He noted that global pollution, biodiversity loss, deforestation and land use change, and other human activities are likely to produce unexpected problems as well.
(Planet-Warming Gases Make Some Food Less Nutritious, Study Says, Steve Baragona/VOA)
"As scientists continue to understand global patterns of biodiversity, we suggest they incorporate past climate and human impact factors into their studies," he says.
(Connecting the prehistoric past to the global future, National Science Foundation)
The result is the largest dataset on botanical biodiversity ever created.
(Nearly 40% of plant species are very rare, and vulnerable to climate change, National Science Foundation)
The findings have implications for the impact of a possible future biodiversity crisis driven by climate change and a warming planet.
(Mass extinction of land and sea biodiversity 250 million years ago not simultaneous, National Science Foundation)
Emerging fungal pathogens pose a greater threat to biodiversity than any other parasitic group, scientists say, causing population declines of amphibians, bats, corals, bees and snakes.
(Amphibians can acquire resistance to deadly fungus, NSF)
Citing statistics from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the earth is on course to see 20 to 40 per cent of all biodiversity wiped out by the end of the 21st century.
(Nearly Half the Planet's Species Could Be Wiped Out by the End of This Century, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
While this study looks specifically at the impact of a persistent drought in the Congo region since 2000, researchers say that a continued drying trend might alter the composition and structure of the Congo rainforest, affecting its biodiversity and carbon storage.
(NASA finds drought may take toll on Congo rainforest, NASA)
What is needed is a step change in how food is produced across the tropics to prevent further deforestation and thus slow climate change, save biodiversity and continue the flow of ecosystem services that people require.
(Most countries lose out with forest-to-farm conversions, SciDev.Net)
Understanding the complex impacts of urbanization on biotic systems requires computational approaches that can integrate multiple sources of data on human activity, ecology and biodiversity, said Peter McCartney, a program director in NSF's Division of Biological Infrastructure.
(Urbanization delays spring plant growth in warm regions, National Science Foundation)
Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative at the Barcelona institute said: 'Urban greening programs are not only key to promoting public health, but they also increase biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change, making our cities more sustainable and livable.'
(People Living Near Parks in Cities Less Likely to Face Early Death, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
