Biodiversity: Origin, function and threats

We now know that the enormous biological capital of the Earth is equally to or even more valuable than material and cultural wealth. Yet it is sadly ironic that the knowledge we are beginning to gain about the planet’s biodiversity and the important role which it plays in the functioning of the world and our own affairs has come at a time in history when our species is attacking this biodiversity. As the opening article of the volume, this paper explores what biological diversity or biodiversity is and why it is important, what problems it faces, the main causes of these problems and what an average citizen can do about them. We need a management and sustainable exploitation of animal and plant populations, an increase of protected areas and a reduction of pollution levels. What is at stake is not only the survival of the variety of organisms on the planet, but also the environmental services they carry out, which are absolutely necessary for us and for our own survival as just another species in the biosphere.