Biodiversity is defined as “the variability among living organisms

from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of
ecosystems.”
Biodiversity is also the shortened form of two words "biological"
and "diversity." It refers to all the variety of life that can be found on
Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) as well as to the
communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.
 Organisms are part of biodiversity and may be economically
and ecologically valuable. Their products are source of food, medicine,
clothing, shelter, and energy. These organisms are also important in
maintaining balance in the ecosystem as they are performing their
specific roles. Some species maintain the quality of natural bodies of
water; some prevent soil erosion and floods, cycle minerals in the soil
and absorb pollutants. Others feed on insects and pests which control
the population of organisms in a certain environment , thus making the
ecosystem balance and stable.

The value of species can be divided into various categories:

1. Direct economic value:
-it is considered to have direct economic value if their products are
sources of food, shelter, medicine, clothing, and energy. For
example, some medicines being used nowadays have formulations
extracted from plants or animals.
2. Indirect economic value:
- it has an indirect economic value if there are benefits produced by
the organism without using them. For example, certain species
maintain the chemical quality of natural bodies of water , prevent soil
erosion and floods, cycle materials in the soil and absorb pollutants.
3. Aesthetic value
- A lot of species provides visual or artistic enjoyment, like a forested
landscape and the calming beauty of a natural park; or they may be
used for spiritual meditation like the Prayer Mountains.
 Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Biodiversity
is also considered by many to have intrinsic value—that is,
each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known
to have value to humans. The biodiversity book by the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation describes 5 core (and
interacting) values that humans place on biodiversity:
 Economic—biodiversity provides humans with raw materials for
consumption and production. Many livelihoods, such as those of
farmers, fishers and timber workers, are dependent on biodiversity.
 Ecological life support—biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems
that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest
control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystemservices.
 Recreation—many recreational pursuits rely on our unique biodiversity,
such as birdwatching, hiking, camping and fishing. Our tourism industry
also depends on biodiversity.
 Cultural—the Australian culture is closely connected
to biodiversity through the expression of identity, through spirituality
and through aesthetic appreciation. Indigenous Australians have strong
connections and obligations to biodiversity arising from spiritual beliefs
about animals and plants.
 Scientific—biodiversity represents a wealth of systematic ecological
data that help us to understand the natural world and its origins.

Our biodiversity is very important to the well-being of our planet.

Most cultures, at least at some time, have recognized the importance of
conserving natural resources. Many still do, but many do not.
 Biodiversity is usually explored at three levels - genetic diversity,
species diversity and ecosystem diversity. These three levels work
together to create the complexity of life on Earth.

Genetic diversity is the variety of genes within a species. Each

species is made up of individuals that have their own particular genetic
composition. This means a species may have different populations,
each having different genetic compositions. To conserve genetic
diversity, different populations of a species must be conserved.
Genes are the basic units of all life on Earth. They are responsible
for both the similarities and the differences between organisms.
Not all groups of animals have the same degree of genetic
diversity. Kangaroos, for example, come from recent evolutionary lines
and are genetically very similar. Carnivorous marsupials, called
dasyurids, come from more ancient lines and are genetically far more
diverse. Some scientists believe that we should concentrate on saving
more genetically diverse groups, such as dasyurids, which include the
Tasmanian Devil, the Numbat and quolls.
If we lose one species of dasyurid, we lose a substantial genetic
resource. Several species of dasyurids are endangered and at least one,
the Tasmanian Tiger, has disappeared forever since Europeans arrived
in Australia.
 Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or a
region. Some habitats, such as rainforests and coral reefs, have many
species. Others, such as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer.
In Australia, more than 80% of plant and animal species are
endemic, which means that they only occur naturally in Australia.
Species are grouped together into families according to shared
characteristics. In Australia, it is not just the individual species that are
endemic - whole families of animals and plants are endemic. Seven
families of mammals, four of birds and twelve of flowering plants are
endemic to Australia. No other country has as many endemic flowering
plant families as Australia.
Invertebrates - animals without backbones - make up about 99%
of all animal species, and most of these are insects. Invertebrates
include crabs, snails, worms, corals and seastars, as well as insects,
such as beetles and flies. Insects fill many vital roles in ecosystems as
pollinators, recyclers of nutrients, scavengers and food for others.
While we may mostly notice mammals, they actually make up less
than 1% of all animal species.

Ecosystem diversity is the variety of ecosystems in a given place.

An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their physical
environment interacting together. An ecosystem can cover a large area,
such as a whole forest, or a small area, such as a pond.
An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their physical
environment interacting together. An ecosystem may be as large as the
Great Barrier Reef or as small as the back of a spider crab's shell,
which provides a home for plants and other animals, such as sponges,
algae and worms.
 Conservation of Biodiversity is very important, why? As we all
know by now, Biodiversity is essential for maintaining the ecological
functions, including stabilizing of the water cycle, maintenance and
replenishment of soil fertility , pollination and cross-fertilization of
crops and other vegetation , protection against soil erosion and
stability of food producing and other ecosystem.
Conservation of biological diversity leads to conservation of
essential ecological diversity to preserve the continuity of food chain.
When we conserve and protect the whole ecosystem, its
biodiversity at all levels are protected.
With this, with more plants, trees, animals, the soils will improve
and become stronger –less prone to erosion and drought and flooding.
 Biodiversity benefits people living in this world in
many ways. It can be of economic, ecological, or aesthetic
value.
All these diversities help in maintaining the correct
balance of nature. But, gradually over the years, there has
been a major loss in the biodiversity across the globe. The
loss of biodiversity could adversely affect our environment
as the balance is lost and the natural food web is disturbed.
Thus, due to its major role in our survival, conservation
of biodiversity has now become a matter of high priority.
Everybody is paying high attention to it. We still have not
identified all the species living on the earth but of all the
ones identified till now, many have already been marked as
extinct.
The environmental problems and issues are proof that
we humans should really be the one who should pay
attention with it and be a good user of the things we get with
it because every single thing created by it has a big matter
for us, the humans.
Thus, humans and obliged to take the full responsibility
in maintaining a clean and healthy state of the ecosystem.
 Organisms inhabiting the earth have changed overtime, their
structures, traits, and abilities allowed them to adapt and survive in
their environment. Data from the fossils records, anatomy and
morphology, embryonic development and biochemistry could be
analysed to demonstrate if evolution of life on earth has taken place.
Fossils are examples of evidences that paleontologists use in
studying evolution. They are traces of organisms that lived in the past
and were preserved by natural process. They can be remains of
organisms which include bones, shells, teeth and also feces embedded
in rocks, peat, resin, and ice.
 The study of comparative anatomy predates the modern study of
evolution. Early evolutionary scientists like Buffon and Lamarck used
comparative anatomy to determine relationships between species.
Organisms with similar structures, they argued, must have acquired
these traits from a common ancestor. Today, comparative anatomy can
serve as the first line of reasoning in determining the relatedness of
species. However, there are many hidden dangers that make it
necessary to support evidence from comparative anatomy with
evidence from other fields of study.
Structures from different species which have similar internal
framework, position and embryonic development are considered to be
Homologous Structures:
Here’s an example of homologous structures:

As you can see, they are structurally the same but they do differ in
their specific functions.
 Structures of unrelated species may evolve to look alike, because
the structure is adapted to similar function. These are called
Analogous Structures.
Here’s an example of Analogous Structure:

As you can see, their structures have similar functions but they do
differ in their specific origins.
 A homologous structure is an example of an organ or bone that
appears in different animals, underlining anatomical commonalities
demonstrating descent from a common ancestor. In other words, it's
when very different animals have bones that appear very similar in form
or function and seem to be related.
This type of evolution is called DIVERGENT EVOLUTION.
DIVERGENT EVOLUTION is the splitting of an ancestral population
into two or more sub-populations that are geographically isolated from
one another,

Species may also have similar traits even though they are not
related to each other. This usually results because the species live in
similar environments and fill similar ecological roles. The structures in
this case are known as analogous structures.
CONVERGENCE EVOLUTION is the evolution we can see in
these structures. Convergence is an increase in similarities among
species derived from different ancestors as a result of similar
adaptations to similar environment.
 I personally believe that evolution explains wonderfully the
diversity of life and how we all share a common ancestor with every
living thing on Earth.
Species may change over time. Fossils records, developmental
and Molecular Biology and genetics may provide possible evidence for
evolution.
Aside from the proofs such as the homologous and analogous
structures, there are also theories that explains the presence of
evolution in earth namely , the DARWINIAN THEORY; this theory of
Charles Darwin talks about his own understanding. According to him,
giraffe species originally had varying neck lengths but natural selection
factored the survival f giraffes with longer necks that could feed on
taller trees.
These things such as the theories and the structural appearance
serves to us as the evidences for us to believe that there is such a thing
called evolution. Every single thing that lived on earth has its own
origin in this world.
I hope that the informations and the studies of the great people
who put that much effort in studying evolution will be kept until the next
and more generations because I believe that everything that is new
growing, has its origin.