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biodiversity

/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.daɪˈvɜː.sə.ti/
IELTSAcademic
noun

The variety of living things in a place or on Earth. It includes different plants, animals, fungi, and tiny organisms.

  • The forest has rich biodiversity.
  • Pollution can reduce biodiversity.
  • We need to protect marine biodiversity.

Adinary Nuance

Biodiversity is more specific than "nature" or "wildlife". It means the variety of life, not just one animal or plant group. Writers choose it when they want to talk about many species together, especially in science or environmental topics.

In other languages

Vietnamese
đa dạng sinh học
Spanish
biodiversidad
Chinese
生物多样性
Japanese
生物多様性
Korean
생물다양성

Etymology

Biodiversity was formed in English in the late 20th century. It combines bio- from Greek bios, meaning 'life', and diversity.

Common phrases

loss of biodiversityprotect biodiversityhigh biodiversitymarine biodiversity

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is biodiversity a common word in academic writing?
Yes. It is very common in science, geography, and environmental studies.
What is the difference between biodiversity and wildlife?
Wildlife means wild animals. Biodiversity means all kinds of living things in an area.
Can I use biodiversity in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Yes. It is useful for topics about the environment, forests, and climate.