[previous] [next] [Table of Contents]
NATURAL RESOURCES
Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Indigenous Peoples
What is biodiversity?
by Ann Doherty, USA
The term biodiversity refers to the interdependent genes, plants, animals, and ecosystems which constitute life on this planet. The human race has always relied on biodiversity for such basic necessities as food, medicine, energy, and building materials. There are an estimated 50 million plant and animal species on earth, although less than 1.5 million of these are catalogued. Approximately 17,000 species are being destroyed each year. Tropical rain forests, which are the most genetically diverse areas on earth, are also being wiped out at an accelerated pace. To date, over 40% of the world's tropical forests have been destroyed, and the diversity of life on earth is seriously threatened.