Chapter 12. Biodiversity

Biodiversity
  • Preservation of Biodiversity

  • Genetic Erosion

  • Gene Banks

  • Biopiracy

  • Final Considerations

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, refers to every form of life within an area or ecosystem. This includes the genetic variability within the populations and species; the different species of flora, fauna, and microorganisms; the variety of functions and ecological interactions carried out by the organisms in the ecosystems; and the various communities, habitats, and ecosystems formed by the organisms. Biodiversity is the fruit of the great laboratory, which is the planet Earth, with its more than 30 million different species resulting ...

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