What does the term 'biodiversity' refer to?

The term 'biodiversity' specifically refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It encompasses not just the number of different species present, but also the genetic diversity within those species and the variety of ecosystems present in a given area. Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem resilience, productivity, and overall health, as it contributes to the stability and functioning of ecosystems.

While the number of species in a given area is a component of biodiversity, it does not capture the full scope of the concept, which includes interactions and relationships among those species and their environments, as well as the ecological roles they perform. Thus, focusing solely on species count would be an incomplete representation of biodiversity. Similarly, the functions performed by an ecosystem and the interactions between organisms and their environment are results of biodiversity but do not define what the term means.