Biodiversity of plants and animals

Flora and fauna of Colombia

Biological diversity or "biodiversity" is a term used to describe the different living things, such as plants and animals, in an area. For example, a place that is home to a wide variety of birds, mammals, and insects can be said to have greater biodiversity than another place with very few different types of birds, mammals, and insects.

The Galapagos Islands are home to a wide range of species from the iconic giant tortoises to a lesser known type of plant and insect that is often hidden in hard-to-reach areas. The Galapagos Islands have a great biodiversity due to the number of habitat zones that can be found in its islands; there are coral reefs, forests in the highlands, sand dunes, scrub areas and different habitats depending on the island.

The Galapagos archipelago is famous for its great variety of endemic species, that is, species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, such as the giant Galapagos tortoise. The endemism of Galapagos is due to the geographic isolation of its islands.

Biodiversity in Ecuador

Senegal's wildlife consists of the flora and fauna of this West African nation. Senegal has a long Atlantic coastline and a wide variety of habitat types, corresponding to its diversity of plants and animals. Senegal has 188 species of mammals and 674 species of birds.

Senegal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. It has a long internal border with The Gambia, this border is delimited by the Gambia River, (The Gambia occupies its immediate bank but Senegal surrounds the whole of The Gambia). The four main rivers, the Senegal River, the Saloum River, the Gambia River and the Casamance River, flow westward into the Atlantic Ocean. There are also important lakes; Lac de Guiers is a large freshwater lake in the north of the country, while Lake Retba, near Dakar, is saline. [1]

The northern half of the country has an arid or semi-arid climate and is largely desert, while south of the Gambia River rainfall is higher and the terrain consists of grassland and savanna woodland. Much of the country is fairly flat and sandy being below 500 meters (1640 feet), but there are some low rolling hills in the southeast, the foothills of the Futa Yallon in Guinea which causes the south of Dakar to be swampy. [2]

Adaptations of Plants | 4th Grade (9-10 years old)

Mexico City - International agreement between governments aims at the sustainable use of the planet's natural wealth. At the end of April, Mexico will receive close to 500 specialists from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Boca del Río, Veracruz. At the meeting, which will take place from April 28 to May 8, 2014, its Plants and Animals Committees will provide scientific advice to participants on the effect of international trade on the conservation of the world's most sought-after species. More than 180 CITES member countries have been invited to contribute their experiences to the sustainable trade of species.

The instrumental value of Biodiversity

Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within each species, for example, between crop varieties and livestock breeds. Chromosomes, genes and DNA, i.e. vital components, determine the uniqueness of each individual and each species.

The protection of biological diversity is a matter of concern to us. Biological resources are the pillars that support civilizations. The products of nature serve as the basis for industries as diverse as agriculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, horticulture, construction and waste treatment. The loss of this biological diversity threatens our food supplies, our recreational and tourism opportunities, and our sources of timber, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions.

Our need for components of nature that we once ignored is often significant and unpredictable. From time to time we have rushed back to nature's pantry to cure our diseases, or to infusions of resistant genes from wild plants to save our crops from pest incursions. Moreover, the wide range of interactions between the various components of biological diversity is what allows the planet to be inhabited by all species, including humans. Our individual health, and the health of our economy and human society, depend on the continued provision of the various services provided by nature that would be extremely costly or impossible to replace. These natural services are so varied, and virtually infinite. For example, it would be almost impossible to replace, to a large extent, the pest control provided by the various creatures that make up the food chain, or the pollination carried out by insects and birds in their daily activities.