biodiversity

American  

[bahy-oh-di-vur-si-tee, -dahy-] / ˌbaɪ oʊ dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, -daɪ- /

noun

1. biological diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment.

   Coral reefs are not just havens for marine biodiversity, they also underpin the economies of many coastal communities.

   Spiraling extinctions will continue diminishing biodiversity for hundreds of years.

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biodiversity British  

/ ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species in their natural environments, which is the aim of conservationists concerned about the indiscriminate destruction of rainforests and other habitats

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biodiversity Scientific  

/ bī′ō-dĭ-vûr′sĭ-tē /

1. The number, variety, and genetic variation of different organisms found within a specified geographic region.

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biodiversity Cultural  

1. A term that describes the number of different species that live within a particular ecosystem.

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Discover More

The preservation of biodiversity is considered by environmentalists to be a major goal of environmental policy.

Etymology

Origin of biodiversity

An Americanism first recorded in 1985–90; bio(logical) ( def. ) + diversity ( def. )

Explanation

When you have a many different plants and animals living in one place, you have biodiversity. The Amazon rain forest is rich in biodiversity. Biodiversity is a shortened form of two words: biological diversity. Biological refers to the study of life forms; diversity means "many" and "different." Construction, pollution, and climate change threaten many different species of plants and animals — these developments threaten biodiversity. Scientists know that the earth's health is related to biodiversity, and one of the main missions of the environmental movement is preserving biodiversity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

biodiversity

Cerutti was speaking ahead of a UN biodiversity summit which will look at efforts made by countries to protect 30 percent of the world's land and oceans by 2030, dubbed the 30x30 goal.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

It is not a party to the UN biodiversity convention and does not participate in the negotiations.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Their complex three-dimensional structures provide habitat for many other forms of deep-sea life, making them important centers of biodiversity in environments that scientists are only beginning to understand.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

This, coupled with mounting human pressures, suggests that climate change is emerging as another major threat to the region's already vulnerable biodiversity.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

As we’ve seen, this means that a pasture holds a dozen or more types of plants—a real example of biodiversity.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan