biodiverse
BY-oh-dy-verss
/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.daɪˈvɜːs/
Containing a wide variety of plant and animal species within a particular ecosystem.
Emphasizes rich species variety and ecological complexity in a habitat.
The story behind the word. Coined in the late 1980s as a contraction of 'biological diversity' during major international conservation movements.
Word relationships
- species-rich: Species-rich specifically counts plant and animal species count, while biodiverse also includes genetic and ecosystem variety.
- monocultural: Monocultural features only a single organism type, whereas biodiverse boasts extensive variety.
Commonly confused with
- diverse: Diverse means generally varied; biodiverse specifically means biologically varied in species and genetics.
Word family
- biodiversity (noun): The variety of biological life in a habitat or worldwide.
Collocations
- highly biodiverse
- richly biodiverse
- biodiverse habitat
- biodiverse region
Example sentences
- "Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse marine environments on the planet." Conservation Biology
Memory hook
BIO (life) + DIVERSE (varied) = Varied forms of life. Biodiverse = bursting with many living species.
When not to use
Do not use for monoculture crops or sterile, species-poor environments.
Fun facts
- Madagascar is so biodiverse that roughly 90 percent of its native wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.