Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the scientific term for the variety of life on Earth.

It refers not just

to species but also to ecosystems and differences in genes within a single species. Everywhere on the
planet, species live together and depend on one another. Every living thing, including man, is involved in
these complex networks of interdependent relationships, which are called ecosystems.

Healthy ecosystems clean our water, purify our air, maintain our soil, regulate the climate, recycle
nutrients and provide us with food. They provide raw materials and resources for medicines and other
purposes. They are at the foundation of all civilisation and sustain our economies. It's that simple: we
could not live without these “ecosystem services”. They are what we call our natural capital.

Biodiversity is the key indicator of the health of an ecosystem. A wide variety of species will cope better
with threats than a limited number of them in large populations. Even if certain species are affected by
pollution, climate change or human activities, the ecosystem as a whole may adapt and survive. But the
extinction of a species may have unforeseen impacts, sometimes snowballing into the destruction of
entire ecosystems.

European diversity is unique, but the loss of biodiversity has accelerated to an unprecedented level in
Europe and worldwide. It has been estimated that the current global extinction rate is 100 to 1000 times
higher than the natural rate. In Europe some 42% of European mammals are endangered, together with
15% of birds and 45% of butterflies and reptiles. To list just a few examples, the Arctic fox, the Iberian
lynx and the red squirrel are all under serious threat.

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/intro/index_en.htm