Meaning of Biodiversity Essay

Total Length: 550 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

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Biodiversity

The definition of "biodiversity" can be somewhat complicated, but in simple terms, "biological diversity is the variety of life and its processes; and it includes the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences among them, and the communities and ecosystems in which they occur." ("Scientific Definitions") While this definition contains several aspects, including the variety of species, their processes, and genetics, a major aspect of biodiversity is the communities, or ecosystems where they exist. This aspect of biodiversity also implies that the species, or organisms in a particular area are naturally occurring; and are not what are known as "invasive species." These particular species are not part of the naturally occurring ecosystem and can also cause great harm to the naturally occurring biodiversity of an area.

According to the National Invasive Species Council (NISC), and invasive species can be defined as "a non-native species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal or plant health.
" ("Invasive Species Definition") Because invasive species are non-native, they can cause a great deal of damage to the delicate balance of an ecosystem; out-competing and displacing native species, disrupting the food chain, and altering the naturally occurring ecosystem. However, simply being a non-native species does not always mean it is invasive. To be termed "invasive," a species must cause damage to either human society or the naturally occurring ecosystem. This means that species that are non-native but non-damaging are not considered to be "invasive;" there must be damage to the biodiversity of an ecosystem. For example, many non-native species that have escaped from human control and are considered to be….....

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