Biodiversity refers in the broadest sense to the variety and variability of living organisms in a particular area, or on earth in general. More specifically, the concept is used to denote different aspects of the variety and variability of life, e.g. the number of species in an area (species richness) or the size of species’ populations (species abundance). Biodiversity is measured in different ways and at various scales from the genetic through to the landscape level.
Table recommended resources
State of knowledge of soil biodiversity
This report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations reviews - with the contributions of…
What is agroecology?
In response to concerns about global hunger and malnutrition, climate and environmental crises, and corporate consolidation in agri-food value…
The importance of agricultural biodiversity
FCRN member Seth Cook of the International Institute for Environment and Development has written a…
What is the land sparing-sharing continuum?
Agricultural production is responsible for the majority of global land use. The use of land to produce food almost always comes into conflict with…
Biodiversity and the challenge of pluralism
This paper argues that the way the concept of “biodiversity” is defined and used is blocking progress in protecting nature. It notes that the…
An overview of food system challenges
How food gets to our plates and what happens afterwards, connects many issues of concern, including health, biodiversity, climate change,…
Balancing farmland intensification and biodiversity
Intensifying agricultural production can make farmland less valuable for wildlife, says a new paper, but optimising land use (by intensifying…
What is sustainable intensification?
New approaches to agriculture are required if we are to reduce the environmental impacts of farming while also feeding more people with a…
The state of the world’s biodiversity for food and agriculture
This report from the FAO reviews the state of ‘biodiversity for food and agriculture’, i.e. any biodiversity…
Related resources
- The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review
Research Library - There is no master metric for biodiversity
Podcast episode - Biodiversity and the challenge of pluralism
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- The challenges of co-existing with animals in the Anthropocene
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Research Library - IPBES-IPCC workshop: Biodiversity and climate change
Research Library - Boosting biodiversity action through agroecology
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- Blog: Biodiversity Net Gain - a policy that must be changed
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- Living Planet Report 2022
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- State of knowledge of soil biodiversity
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