arkivore

Arkivore is a neologism used in speculative fiction and in some discussions of conservation and long-term data preservation. It is not an established term in mainstream biology, archival science, or biodiversity policy, and its usage remains limited to niche contexts. In common renderings, an arkivore denotes an entity—whether a living organism, a organizational role, or a safeguarding system—that preserves an ark-like repository of life, information, or cultural memory to help against catastrophic loss.

Conceptually, arkivores can be imagined in two related ways. One framing treats the arkivore as a hypothetical or fictional organism that maintains or cultivates an ark of seeds, genetic material, or symbiotic partnerships as a strategy for resilience and adaptation. The other framing envisions an arkivore as a guardian or institution—such as a biobank, seed bank, or digital archive—that curates and preserves essential data, genomes, or cultural artifacts across generations, serving as a living or enduring archive.

Etymology for arkivore is informal and stylistic, blending ark, a container or refuge, with a suffix that evokes living continuity. Because the term is not standardized, its precise meaning can vary by author or context.

See also: archivist, archiving, biobanking, seed bank, digital preservation, biodiversity conservation.