Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life forms, the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form. It is usually considered at three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.

Biodiversity provides all the critical processes that make life possible.

Biodiversity:

• has values based on the right of all species to exist;
• underpins our way of life and has shaped our identity and culture;
• is the basis for healthy, functioning ecosystems. Forests and bush filter the water that we drink, and produce fresh air to breathe;
• helps hold natural cycles in balance, such as keeping water tables stable and dry land salinity in check;
• provides all food and the raw materials for a wide range of products, including clothing and the means to control pest plants, animals and diseases;
• is the source of medicines that help treat diseases from leukemia to motion sickness;
• of our national parks earn billions of dollars each year from tourism;
• brings fertility to the soil;
• is crucial to the economic future of Australia. Major industries such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism owe their levels of productivity to the country’s native biodiversity.

But Australia’s diversity of life is in trouble. The independent, national State of the Environment report concludes that continuing loss of biodiversity is probably Australia’s biggest environmental problem.

Our record of biodiversity loss is very poor by international standards. A major reason is a lack of understanding of the values of biodiversity.