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Biodiversity

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Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is necessary for life to thrive on Earth.

Aldo Leopold, one of the great thinkers of conservation, observed more than half a century ago the importance of protecting species. "To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering," he wrote. Losing species is like throwing away one by one the engine parts of an airplane while flying.

Biodiversity is a major initiative of Conservation International.

Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as those for clean, consistent water flows; protection from floods and storms; and a stable climate. 

Curated by mokiethecat

This Bird Song Went Viral
July 09, 2020

In the 1990s, researchers in western Canada identified a new two-note song variant in white-throated sparrows, differing from the traditional three-note ending. While bird songs evolve, new dialects typically remain localized rather than replacing established ones.

However, a study found this once-rare two-note song spread "virally" across over 1,800 miles of Canada between 2000 and 2019, completely replacing the historic song. The reason for its widespread adoption is unknown. Senior author Ken Otter called this rapid, extensive cultural evolution of a song type "unprecedented." Learn more here.