What is Biodiversity? 

Some say that variety is the spice of life, but to environmental scientists, variety is the foundation of life. 

Biodiversity is a concept that refers to the wide, expansive variety of species that coexist within a specific area on Earth. Without biodiversity, we wouldn’t have drinkable water, food sources, clean air, or a whole bunch of other essential, life-giving things.

Promoting and protecting biodiversity is important when it comes to preventing species extinction, combating climate change, and rethinking commercial farming practices. Read on to understand why protecting and maintaining diverse ecosystems is the best way forward for all inhabitants of the Earth — from whales to humans and even tiny marine microorganisms. 

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is a term used to describe the variety of life in a certain area. It includes the different species within that area, as well as the genetic variety within each species. 

Why is biodiversity important? 

Biodiversity is a measure of how the living species interact with each other and their environment, keeping all things in an ecosystem in balance (for example: birds feeding on insects becomes natural pest control). Maintaining biodiversity ensures that an ecosystem is healthy and resilient, as all the plants, animals, insects, and even humans contribute different things that the others need for survival. 

Because measuring biodiversity counts the number of species in a particular ecosystem, scientists are also able to monitor the area to see if the number of species rises or falls. If the number of species in an area begins to decrease, it may mean that the species is endangered by outside threats like climate change, pollution, overharvesting, hunting, or other issues. 

Without biodiversity, ecosystems would be less resilient and have fewer essential resources. Here are just a few of the benefits of biodiversity: 

• Provides food supplies for all species 
• Provides clean water 
• Improves air quality
• Offers protection against natural disasters (such as flooding and fires)
• Makes environments more resilient against pollutants and chemicals (such as oil spills)  
• Helps species within adjust to disease 
• Offers opportunities for medical research into vaccines and other drugs 

What are Examples of Biodiversity? 

The best way to understand biodiversity is looking at real life examples from around the world. Here are just a few examples of particularly biodiverse areas:

• Rainforests. Tropical rainforests have the most biodiversity of any ecosystem on earth; in fact, they’re home to more than half the living animal species on the planet. 
• Coastlines. Coastlines are incredibly diverse because they link oceans with land (and all the species within the two). More than 50% of all humans on earth live in coastal areas, largely because of the plentiful food sources and other resources.
• Ponds. Yep, ponds — like the one near your home — are great examples of biodiversity on a more local level. Frogs, water lilies, cattails, fish, and worms (and, of course, the birds that eat them) are all part of a diverse ecosystem.

Biodiversity and Farming 

Biodiversity is an important tenet of regenerative farming. The Rodale Institute describes biodiversity as “nature’s system of checks and balances”.

Regenerative agriculture operates under the assumption that by allowing biodiversity to do its job, farmers can create a rich ecosystem of plants, animals, and insects that naturally control pests and diseases, promote healthy soil, and create healthier, more resilient crops — all without pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. 

Here are some of the regenerative practices that bolster biodiversity:

• Crop rotation. By rotating crops on the same land throughout the year, farmers can introduce a variety of organic matter to the soil. 
• Cover cropping. Planting crops in soil that would otherwise be empty helps to keep the soil healthy and increases biodiversity. 
• Composting. This encourages a variety of microorganisms to grow within the soil. 
• Reduced or no tilling. Digging up the soil with mechanical tools (aka “tilling”) breaks up soil for planting, but it also causes soil to erode and kills fungi; regenerative agriculture promotes improved soil health to lessen or eliminate the need for tilling. 
• Natural predators. Promoting biodiversity allows predators (like birds and bats) to consume pests in lieu of using pesticides. 
• Livestock integration. Integrating animals into a farm growing crops promotes biodiversity (and offers natural fertilizer, weed control, and food for livestock).  

Shop Biodynamic and Regenerative Products at Thrive Market 

If you want to support farmers that promote and prioritize biodiversity, look for biodynamic or regenerative labels. 

Regeneratively Grown Organic Coconut Oil
This whole-kernel coconut oil is made from coconuts grown using intercropping, mulching, and other regenerative practices. 

Kettle & Fire Regenerative Chicken Bone Broth
Kettle & Fire’s farms focus on the conservation and rehabilitation of land and animals, using regenerative practices that support biodiversity. 

GoodSam Arabica Ground Coffee
This coffee is sourced from indigenous farms in Costa Rica’s highest mountain range, where biodiversity is dense and thriving. 

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Read on:
Regenerative vs. Biodynamic vs. Organic
Agriculture That Heals: Regenerative Farming Around The World
Climate Change Glossary: From Alternative Energy to Zero Waste