Biodiversity, as a biological phenomenon, denotes the variability and complexity of life across genes, species, populations, communities, and ecosystems, including their functional traits and phylogenetic relationships. It emerges from evolutionary processes such as mutation, selection, gene flow, and drift, and is structured by ecological interactions, environmental gradients, and spatiotemporal dynamics. Biodiversity influences and reflects ecosystem functioning, stability, and resilience through mechanisms like complementarity, redundancy, and trophic interactions. It is quantitatively characterized using metrics of richness, evenness, turnover, and functional or phylogenetic diversity, and its patterns are central to understanding biogeography, ecosystem processes, and responses to environmental change.
"Taking Action for Nature" was the theme of CoP 17, the UN Biodiversity Conference 2026, which is drawing to a close in Yerevan, Armenia. A new analysis of African national biodiversity strategies and action plans shows how ...
Environment
5 hours ago
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On Oct. 13, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) launched the Seed Portal for Online Data (SeedPOD), a new open-access platform designed to tackle bottlenecks affecting global ecological restoration, by making native ...
Ecology
Oct 28, 2026
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Climate change and shifts in land use are affecting habitats and, consequently, plant diversity. To better understand the consequences of these developments, long-term and comprehensive data are essential. The "Floristic ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 27, 2026
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A flower strip is established along the edge of a field. A wetland is restored. More seminatural habitats are created. The expectation is simple: give nature more space, and biodiversity will increase. But reality is often ...
Ecology
Oct 27, 2026
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Global efforts to preserve habitat and the planet's most endangered species urgently need to be stepped up, according to a new report from Map of Life, the flagship initiative of the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 27, 2026
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New Monash University research has revealed how countries could strengthen their conservation networks by looking beyond the boundaries of national parks and protected areas—and focusing on how these areas connect.
Ecology
Oct 26, 2026
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In 1987, biologists captured the last free-flying condor to transfer it to captivity, and the largest flying North American bird species was officially declared extinct in the wild. Today, after decades of coordinated efforts ...
Ecology
Oct 24, 2026
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Researchers at the University of Helsinki wanted to understand which is the dominant factor for species occurrence and abundance: the climate or habitat-related variables, such as their natural state and the share of land ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 23, 2026
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The world is falling short of its biodiversity commitments because nature is still treated as an afterthought in decisions about housing, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, mining and conservation, according to a new UNSW ...
Ecology
Oct 21, 2026
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Black-necked swans, spot-flanked gallinules, southern lapwings, austral thrushes and dozens of other bird species fly across the Río Cruces Wetland, carrying the biocultural memory of the territory. Both resident birds and ...
Ecology
Oct 20, 2026
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