From sweat bees to deforestation, we cover it all on the fascinating subject of biodiversity. What is it, and why should we care? Plus, Pete impersonates a howler monkey.
Rainforests are really good if you want to look at a lot of species in one place. With the highest biodiversity of any environment and while covering less than 10% of the earth’s surface, they contain around 90% of all the world’s species. These environments are rightfully a key target for conservation and protection, and it has everything to do with their biodiversity.
Biodiversity is not just important for rainforests. It’s important everywhere. From the frozen tundras of Siberia, to the black depths of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean and even in your own back yard, it enables life to thrive. It works at the genetic level, allowing individual species to adapt to changes in the environment. It acts across whole ecosystems, buffering against disease, flood and drought. With such a profound effect across all of life, it should be obvious that we must care about our biodiversity.
