I'm not going to add to the numerous definitions of biodiversity already shared on this
list, but would focus on how to convey the concept of biodiversity to a generally
disconnected public. Many people, myself included, understand concepts better if they
are presented visually. To that end, one metaphor for biodiversity that I remember was
the phrase "web of life". The imagery contained in that phrase not only
conveys the complexity (species richness)of the organisms making up an ecosystem, but can
also convey the importance of the connections and dependencies among those organisms.
Pluck one strand, and the whole web may collapse. Another analogous image might be
Eugene Odum's graphics of energy flow through an ecosystem. Again, you have the
visualization of complexity and dependency.
This past summer my Sierra Club Group hosted a political forum for
candidates for state office. One of the questions we asked them was how
important they thought protecting the biodiversity of our state, one
of the most biodiverse in the US, particularly for aquatic organisms,
was. It was disheartening to find that several candidates, some of whom
might end up serving on a legislative environment committee, had no
idea what biodiversity meant.
Axel Ringe
Conservation Chair
Harvey Broome Group
TN Chapter, Sierra Club
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:05:31 -0800
From: "Ritchie, Euan" <[email protected]>
Subject: Defining biodiversity, and does the term capture the public's
attention?
Hi everyone,
I have just returned from the Ecological Society of Australia meeting
and a=
mong other issues, there was much discussion about the term
biodiversity. M=
any people argue that this term is hard to define, and importantly, the
pub=
lic have no idea what it actually means and therefore they have less
connec=
tion/concern to preserve/conserve species and habitats. I thought it
would =
be interesting to hear how others define biodiversity, and if this term
isn=
't helpful for conveying the importance of species diversity to the
public,=
what term(s) should we use?
Over to you,
Euan
Dr. Euan G. Ritchie, Lecturer in Ecology, School of Life and
Environmental =
Sciences
Dr. Alexandre F. Souza
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia: Diversidade e Manejo da Vida
Silvestre
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS)
Av. UNISINOS 950 - C.P. 275, São Leopoldo 93022-000, RS - Brasil
Telefone: (051)3590-8477 ramal 1263
Skype: alexfadigas
[email protected]
http://www.unisinos.br/laboratorios/lecopop
