Biodiversitas

Biodiversitas, or biodiversity, refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth, including genetic diversity within species, the variety of species, and the diversity of ecosystems. It encompasses the genes, species, and ecological communities that occur across landscapes and through time, and it underpins ecosystem processes such as pollination, nutrient cycling, climate regulation, and resilience.

Global patterns show that biodiversity is unevenly distributed, with the richest habitats in tropical regions. Indonesia, in particular, hosts extraordinary biodiversity across forests, freshwater systems, and marine environments, including many endemic species in rainforests, coral reefs, and mangroves. Diversity is typically measured using metrics such as species richness, evenness, and genetic diversity, as well as beta diversity that compares differences between communities.

Biodiversitas provides essential ecosystem services that support human well-being, including food, medicine, clean water, climate regulation, flood protection, cultural and recreational values, and scientific knowledge. Assessments rely on indices like the Shannon and Simpson diversity measures, alongside genetic and habitat assessments.

Threats to biodiversity include habitat loss and fragmentation, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. These pressures can lead to species declines and ecosystem degradation, reducing resilience to environmental change and undermining services.

Conservation and sustainable management aim to maintain biodiverse systems through protected areas, habitat restoration, sustainable use, and ex situ conservation such as seed banks and living collections. International and national policies—most notably the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its evolving Global Biodiversity Framework—support biodiversity targets, monitoring, and integration into development planning, including strategies tailored for regions with high biodiversity importance.