English

biodiversity

gb/bˌaɪoʊdaɪvˈɚsəti/ us/bˌaɪoʊdaɪvˈɚsəti/
B2 English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
Noun technical B2 entity
1

variety of life in a place

The number and variety of different living things, such as plants and animals, in a place or on Earth.

Usage pattern: [place] has [level] biodiversity
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'biodiversity' with general words like 'nature' or 'environment', but 'biodiversity' specifically refers to how many different kinds of living things are present. Another common mistake is treating 'biodiversity' as a countable noun (e.g., 'many biodiversities'); in standard use it is almost always uncountable: 'high biodiversity', 'loss of biodiversity'.
Synonyms
biological diversity (More formal and technical; often used as a direct scientific equivalent or expansion of the term.) | ecosystem diversity (Focuses more on the variety of ecosystems rather than all biological levels; overlaps but is slightly narrower.) | species richness (A technical term for the number of species; covers just one aspect of biodiversity, not overall variety and abundance.)
Antonyms
monoculture (Describes an area where only one type of plant or crop is grown, highlighting the absence of biodiversity.)
Collocations
rich biodiversity |high biodiversity |biodiversity loss |biodiversity hotspot |biodiversity conservation |biodiversity crisis
Themes
science |environment |geography |nature |core_vocabulary
Examples
  • Tropical rainforests are known for their extraordinary biodiversity.
  • Climate change and deforestation are major threats to global biodiversity.
  • The new national park was created to protect the region's unique biodiversity.
  • Scientists surveyed the coral reef to measure changes in biodiversity over time.
  • Urban development has reduced local biodiversity by destroying natural habitats.
Learner examples
  • This lake has very high biodiversity.
  • We must protect biodiversity to keep nature healthy.
  • Pollution can cause a big loss of biodiversity.
  • The forest is home to rich biodiversity.
  • Biodiversity helps ecosystems stay strong and stable.
Grammar
Dictionary form
biodiversity
IPA
GB/bˌaɪoʊdaɪvˈɚsəti/
US/bˌaɪoʊdaɪvˈɚsəti/
Syllables & stress
biod - iversity (2 syllables)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: biodiversity
  • Plural: biodiversity
Word family
Core family
biodiverse adjective diversity noun B1 diverse adjective B2
Related words
diversify verb B2 diversification noun C1 biology noun B1 biological adjective B1 biologist noun B2
Advanced or less common
biotic adjective biota noun
Expressions

No expressions linked to this entry yet.

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