Biodiversity
'Biodiversity' is a term commonly used to describe the variety of life on Earth.
This encompasses the whole of the natural world and all living things with which we share the planet. It includes plants, animals, even invisible micro-organisms and bacteria which, together, interact in complex ways with the inanimate environment to create living ecosystems.
Biodiversity is all around us: not just in wild places and nature reserves but also in our cities, the places we live and work, our farmland and our countryside. We are an integral part of this biodiversity and exert a major influence over it.
More formally, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biodiversity as:
"The variability among living organisms from all sources including 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."
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(10 May 2012) An urgent mission to save one of the UK’s most threatened birds from extinction launched today.
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First ever survey of England’s traditional orchards from the air
(5 May 2011) Taking a bird’s eye view of England’s traditional orchards has enabled conservationists to put one of the most important wildlife habitats back on the map.
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Short-haired bumblebee reintroduction
(1 May 2012) After months of careful planning and negotiations, a team of experts led by Dr Nikki Gammans have embarked on a special mission to bring short-haired bumblebee queens back to the UK from the south of Sweden.
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Digital approach lightens the load on ring ouzel researchers
(23 March 2012) Lightweight MP3 players will give researchers less bulk to carry into the hills for only the second UK-wide ring ouzel survey in 13 years.
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Cornish cirl buntings on the rise
(28 October 2011) The fortunes of the cirl bunting in Cornwall are on the up after a record number of chicks were born this year following a successful reintroduction project involving Natural England, the RSPB, the National Trust, Paignton Zoo and the Zoological Society of London.
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Britain’s bitterns are booming
(2 September 2011) A new survey by the RSPB and Natural England shows Britain’s loudest bird, once extinct in the UK, has enjoyed its best year since records began.
