Definition

The variety of different types of living things in a particular area or environment, including the differences within species and between species.

Example

Conserving biodiversity is essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Conversation

I read an interesting article about biodiversity in rainforests.

Oh really? What did it say about it?

It discussed how important biodiversity is for maintaining ecological balance.

That makes sense; without it, ecosystems could collapse.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Biodiversity is formed from "bio-" (from Greek "bios", meaning life) and "diversitas" (from Latin, meaning diversity or variety). The term refers to the variety of life forms in a given habitat or ecosystem.

Memory Tip

Think of 'life' ('bio-') and 'variety' ('diversitas') to remember that biodiversity means the variety of life in an ecosystem.

Visually Confused Words