The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) differentiates between genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity as key components of overall biodiversity.
Recognising both definitions as valid and complementary, IPBES offers two key definitions of biodiversity, highlighting the need for a holistic understanding that encompasses both variety and function.
Variety of life: “The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.” (IPBES, 2020)
This definition emphasises the multi-level nature of biodiversity, encompassing variation within individual species, among different species, and within entire ecosystems. It also highlights the importance of ecological interactions and relationships between organisms and their environment.
Variety of functions: “The variety of roles that living organisms play in ecosystems including, but not limited to, primary production, nutrient cycling, and decomposition.” (IPBES, 2020)
This definition focuses on the functional aspects of biodiversity and how different organisms contribute to the functioning of ecosystems. It recognises the importance of ecosystem services provided by biodiversity, such as food production, water purification, and climate regulation.
IPBES definitions of biodiversity serve as a foundational framework for international policy and decision-making related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. They emphasise the importance of ecological processes in maintaining biodiversity and highlights the threats posed by human activities such as habitat loss, climate change, overhunting, invasive species, and pollution.
Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) are a set of standardised parameters identified as key indicators for monitoring, researching, and forecasting biodiversity changes at various scales, from local to global (Pereira et al. 2013; Navarro et al. 2017). They represent core aspects of biological diversity and offer a comprehensive approach to biodiversity assessment.
The six main categories of EBVs are genetic composition, species populations, species traits, community composition, ecosystem structure, and ecosystem function. As such, they cover the first four levels of ecological organisation (individual; population; community; ecosystem; biome; biosphere).
The use of EBVs allows for standardisation across different regions and ecosystems and for a holistic understanding of biodiversity changes.
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11 July 2024