When snorkeling in the coral reefs, or trudging through the rain forest, backpacking through the woods, and hiking in the mountains, there is a new array of life opened up, which is hidden to the eyes of those trapped in a concrete jungle. Even now, there are people who don’t have the opportunity to witness wild animals in their habitat. A problem rests in the fact that many never will, due to a global decline in biodiversity. Biological diversity is the variety of species on Earth. This includes plants, animals, and microorganisms. There are large diversities within the ecosystems of the world, from the desert, to the tundra, to the oceans, and the rain forests. Within these ecosystems, there are gaps within the species genetics that allow for multiple species to exist.

Anup Shah, founder and editor of GlobalIssues.org since 1998, has a degree in Computer Science, but uses the website to inform others of issues in today’s society. One subject that he illuminates is the importance to keep biodiversity in the world’s ecosystems. Shah states, “While we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.” He understands that to continue living in harmony with the species of this earth, we must preserve the diversity. Throughout his website, Shah explains that without biological diversity, there is a greater chance for incest, disease, and extinction of species.

The National Wildlife Federation, the United States’ largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, has done a large extent of research put into learning about biodiversity, and has made many attempts to inform the public. In one of the articles posted on their website, www.nwf.org, they speak about the importance of being diverse. They say that it allows for healthier living, because of the great variety of species to choose from. Also, many medical discoveries have been made, because of research conducted on plant species. It also strengthens ecosystems, making them more durable to natural disasters.

Sonia Van Gilder Cooke, writer at the Guardian, a British newspaper, published an article in 2010, revealing the truth about the state of biodiversity decline that we are in. Cooke says the greatest threat to biodiversity is habitat loss. Human development has created a rift in the ecosystem, that many species have trouble bouncing back from. Although getting a true estimate on the number of species and members within each is difficult, scientist have kept track of indicator species, recording their populations. There has been “28% drop in the index”.

Biodiversity should be a great concern for all humans, because it affects all of our lives. Based on information found by multiple experts, we can see the problems we will face, if this decline continues.