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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

Baby Leafcutter Bee Emerges from Their Cozy Bee-rito
April 27, 2023
Leafcutter bees are solitary, gentle pollinators that opt to construct egg chambers out of leaves, which they provision with nectar and pollen. Once these are in place, the female leafcutter places a single egg atop the food she’s gathered and then caps the cell with circular pieces of leaves. She may construct as many as 20 of these pollen-filled bee-ritos before she’s done. This footage shows a young leafcutter emerging from their cozy bee-rito in the United Kingdom. There are many species of leafcutter bees found around the world, including in North America. In Florida alone, there are as many as 63 different species of leafcutter bees. A big thanks to Emily Doorish for taking and sharing this footage. Find her on Twitter @EDoorish or Instagram @EmiliagoXD. ** Did you know that bees are fascinating, hard-working, AND self-aware? As bee expert and ecologist Stephen Buchmann just told The Guardian, these crucial pollinators feel complex emotions (such as pleasure and fear) and can process long-term memories while sleeping — which could have far-reaching ethical implications for how people treat bees. And may even mean they dream. Read more: https://biodiv.us/3n2sePr ** ABOUT US: The Center for Biological Diversity is a 501c3 nonprofit headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. At the Center, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive. We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive. Where to find us: WEBSITE: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CenterForBioDiv FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CenterforBioDiv/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/centerforbiodiv/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@centerforbiodiv For questions or media inquiries, email us at center@biologicaldiversity.org.