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What is biodiversity?Biodiversity is a term that encompasses all variations of living organisms found on Earth: millions of plants, animals and microorganisms, their gene pools and the natural interactions they are a part of. The diversity in nature can be sorted into three different levels:
- Ecosystem diversity defines the variation between different biotopes and ecosystems and their ecological processes. As an ecosystem we can count both larger units such as lakes and different forest types and small, more limited areas such as ponds.
- Species diversity is the sum of all species living in one area. The species diversity is often found to be the greatest in areas that have been allowed to develop freely over time, as is the case with primeval forests. A large species diversity can also be found in cultivated fields, such as old hay fields.
- Genetic diversity refers to the variation in the gene pool of a species. All individuals have their particular properties and no two sparrows or ants are completely identical. The genetic variation is decisive for the ability of a species to exist over time and adapt to new environmental changes.
Biodiversity is defined by the UN's Environmental Programme in this manner:
- Variation between and within all biological species (wild and domestic) in all groups of organisms.
- The environment, ecosystems and the ecological processes that these species and organisms are a part of.
Even if biodiversity encompasses more than the number of species, species diversity still gives an indication of how large the total biodiversity in an area is.
Biodiversity research at the Norwegian Polar InstituteThe Biodiversity Programme, led by K. M. Kovacs, PhD, conducts scientific investigations designed to produce high quality data that are relevant to the design of sound resource management and conservation policies in the Norwegian polar territories, as well as adding to the global knowledge base regarding Arctic and Antarctic flora and fauna.
The research group (and their national and international collaborators) deal with biodiversity issues from the level of the gene, through to the community, via projects involving a broad array of animals and plants. These include Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer, Svalbard ptarmigan, polar bears, and a variety of species of seals, whales and seabirds in both Arctic and Antarctic waters.
Currently, a major area of interest across both terrestrial and marine research projects within the Programme is the potential effect of climate change on populations and communities.
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