Sustainability Indicators

Biodiversity
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the variability among living Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being2
organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other
aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part.1
Biodiversity shapes the ecosystem services that contribute to human well-
being—material welfare, security, social relations, health, and freedom of
choice.2
Species Diversity
• Approximately 1.7 million species have been described.3 Estimates of
global species diversity vary between 5 and 30 million species.4
• 244,000 marine species have been identified, and more than a million
marine species are estimated to exist.5
• Freshwater habitats account for only 0.01% of the world’s water and
make up less than 1% of the planet’s surface, but they support one-
third of all described vertebrates and nearly 10% of all known animal
species.6,7
• Biodiversity hotspots are areas with exceptional concentrations of
endemic species that face extreme loss of habitat. 25 hotspots cover 1.4%
of the Earth’s land surface (820,000 square miles), and contain the
remaining habitats of 44% of all plants and 35% of all vertebrates. Biodiversity Hotspots8
38% of the aggregate hotspot land area is protected within parks
and reserves.8
• U.S. has 468 known mammal, 888 known bird, and 19,473 known
plant species, and 35, 75, and 277, respectively, are threatened.9,3
Genetic Diversity in Agriculture
• Of the 30 mammalian and bird species used extensively for
agriculture, half account for over 90% of global livestock
production.10 Genetic diversity within breeds is declining, and 22%
of 8,262 livestock breeds identified are classified as at risk.11
• About 30,000 wild edible and 7,000 cultivated flowering and cone-
bearing plants, with 30 crops providing 95% of dietary energy or
protein.12,13 Wheat, rice, and maize provide more than half of the
global plant-derived calories.13
• In the last 100 years, about 75% of the genetic diversity of
agricultural crops was lost.14
Number of Federally Listed Endangered Species
Loss of Biodiversity by Taxonomic Group35
• Species extinction rates have increased by as much as 1,000 times
typical rates over the Earth’s history. In the last 50 years, alteration of Lichens 2
biodiversity related to human activities was greater than at any time in Conifers and Cycads 2
human history, and this trend is projected to continue.2 Arachnids 12
Crustaceans 21
• Agriculture is the largest driver of genetic erosion, species loss, and
Amphibians 27
habitat conversion.4
Ferns and Allies 28
• Habitat change, climate change, invasive alien species, Snails 35
overexploitation, and pollution are the most significant direct drivers Insects 62
of biodiversity loss and change in ecosystem services.2 Clams 77
• Ecosystem degradation increases vulnerability to invasive species, Reptiles 84
putting native species at risk.15 Climate change is an especially Fishes 94
pervasive threat to biodiversity, because it affects areas uninhabited Birds 291
by humans.16 Climate change could cause increased drying, resulting Mammals 326

in dieback in the Amazon, which has the highest biodiversity of all Flowering Plants 687

forests.17 0 200 400 600 800

• Over-fishing and harvesting contribute to a loss of genetic diversity Number of Endangered Species
and relative species abundance of individuals and groups.18

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Implications of Loss of Biodiversity
• Habitat loss can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions—8% of global emissions derive from tropical deforestation.19
• Ecosystems with healthy, functioning biodiversity provide many services, including: food, water, carbon storage, fiber, fuel, climate and water
regulation, spiritual enrichment, recreation, education, and support for primary production.2,19 While controversial, an early estimate set the
total value of global ecosystem services at $33 trillion per year, or 1.8 times global GNP.20
• Biodiversity disruption has significant implications for the rural poor whose livelihood depends on local ecosystem services.21
• Loss of biodiversity in ocean habitats greatly reduces ecosystem stability and productivity, which also reduces fishery output.22
• Loss of ecosystems such as salt marshes, mangroves, and coral reefs increases vulnerability to sea level rise and storms and exacerbates natural
disaster impacts. Functioning coastal wetlands could have reduced the impact of Hurricane Katrina, estimated at $150 billion.19
• Loss of biodiversity can result in a loss of known and undiscovered chemicals valuable to human health. Chemical compounds such as
quinine, antibiotics including erythromycin and neomycin, and taxol (a cancer treatment) are important pharmaceutical agents derived from
other life forms.23

Sustainable Actions
Local Planning Agriculture with Wildlife Corridor Habitat36
• Landscaped corridors aid in preventing the extinction of local species and maintaining
biodiversity by reducing habitat fragmentation.24
• Landscaping with native plants enhances biodiversity and improves soil, air, and water
quality.25
• Local government action can significantly influence biodiversity though land use decisions,
sustainable development, and education of residents.26
Policy
• Examples of global treaties to protect species include: The International Convention for the
Regulation of Whaling (1946); The International Convention for the Protection of Birds
(1950); The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (1971); The Convention
of International Trade in Endangered Species (1973); The Convention of the Conservation
of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979); and the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) (1992).27
• The CBD, an international treaty signed at the Rio Earth Summit by 168 signatories, has 3 objectives: to conserve biodiversity, to enhance its
sustainable use, and to ensure an equitable sharing of benefits linked to the exploitation of genetic resources.28
• The Endangered Species Act (1973), administered by the Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commerce Department’s
National Marine Fisheries Service, aims to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems they depend on.29
• 180 parties have National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.30
• Over 150,000 protected areas (such as national parks and reserves) have been established, covering around 12% of the Earth’s surface.31,32 These
areas are still under threat due to factors including poor management, lack of habitat representation, climate change, over extraction and
diversion of river water, and lack of support from governments, business and industry, and local communities.32
Global Initiatives
• The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 is a framework of five strategic goals and twenty Aichi Targets adopted by the Convention on
Biological Diversity in 2010.33
• The World Wildlife Fund’s 2020 Biodiversity Goal is to restore populations of the most ecologically, economically, and culturally important
species. The 2050 Biodiversity Goal is to conserve the integrity of the most outstanding natural places.34
• The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Program and the IUCN Species Survival Commission assess the
conservation status of species, subspecies, varieties, and subpopulations on a global scale to identify threatened and endangered species and
promote their conservation.3

1. United Nations (UN) Treaty Series (1993) Convention on Biological Diversity. Vol. 1760, I-30619. 20. Costanza, R. et al., (1997) “The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital.” Nature,
2. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Biodiversity Synthesis. 387: 253.
World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. 21. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2006) Global Biodiversity Outlook 2.
3. World Conservation Union (2013) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2013.2. 22. Worm, B., et al., (2006) Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services. Science, 314:
4. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) (2007) Global Environment Outlook: environment for 787-790.
development (GEO-4). 23. Chivian, E. (2001) “Environment and health: 7. Species loss and ecosystem disruption- the implications
5. Census of Marine Life (2010) First Census of Marine Life 2010: Highlights of a Decade of Discovery. for human health.” CZMA, 164 (1): 66-69.
6. IUCN (2008) Freshwater Biodiversity-A Hidden Resource Under Threat. 24. Damschen, E.I., et al. (2006) Corridors Increase Plant Species Richness at Large Scales. Science, 313:
7. Strayer, D. and D. Dudgeon (2010) Freshwater biodiversity conservation: recent progress and future 1284-1286.
challenges. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 29(1): 344-358. 25. U.S. EPA (2009) “Green Landscaping: Greenacres. Landscaping with Native Plants.”
8. Myers, N. (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403: 853-858. 26. ICLEI Local Action for Biodiversity (2009) Lab Perspectives #1. “Nature and biodiversity: perceptions,
9. UNEP EarthTrends (2005) Data Tables: Biodiversity and Protected Areas. importance, and the urban context.”
10. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2009) The role of biotechnology for the charaterisation 27. Pierce, D. (2007) “Do we really care about biodiversity?” Environmental and Resource Economics, 7
and conservation of crop, forest, animal, and fishery genetic resources in developing countries. (1): 313-333.
11. UN FAO (2013) Status and Trends of Animal Genetic Resources – 2012. 28. The Convention on Biological Diversity (2006) “About the Convention.”
12. UN FAO (1997) State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 29. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2009) “More than 20 Years of Conserving Endangered Species.”
13. UN FAO (2012) Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 30. UNEP (2014) “National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.”
14. Shand, H. (1997) Human Nature: Agricultural Biodiversity and Farm-based Food Security” Rural 31. IUCN and UNEP (2011) The World Database on Protected Areas.
Advancement Foundation International. 32. WWF (2009) A Roadmap for a Living Planet.
15. IUCN (2009) International Biodiversity Statement, “Biological Invasions and Climate Change. 33. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020
16. Malcolm, J.R., et al. (2006) Global warming and extinctions of endemic species from biodiversity and the Aichi Targets.
hotspots. Conservation Biology, 20: 538–550. 34. WWF (2009) “WWF’s Mission, Guiding Principles, and Goals.”
17. Stern, N. (2007) The Stern Review: The Economics of Climate Change. Cambridge Univ. Press. 35. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2014) “Species Reports.”
18. U.S. EPA (2009) “Aquatic Biodiversity, Overexploitation of Species.” 36. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Resource Conservation Service.
19. UNEP FI Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services Work Stream (2008) Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services, Bloom or Bust?

Cite as: Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan. 2014. “Biodiversity Factsheet.” Pub. No. CSS09-08. October 2014