Biosphere Contents

2. Diversity

Biologists also use the term biodiversity quite generally to encompass the overall variety of life

The variety of life is manifest both in terms of the total number of different species that are present, and also in terms of variation within species. There is clearly much variety in terms of differences between species. There are also different forms within species - sometimes very significant differences. Ecological communities result from interactions among their constituents, and as such constitute a further tier of diversity in their own right.

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What does the term biodiversity refer to?