INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY YEAR –2010 SAVING BIODIVERSITY FOR POSTERITY

Abstract

Biodiversity is pivotal to life on Earth. Various life forms e.g. animals, plants, micro-organisms (such as bacteria and viruses) etc., are responsible for throbing of life on our planet Earth. These various life forms may collectively be called biodiversity. Walter G. Rosen was the first to use the term biodiversity in 1985 although some conservation scientists like Thomas Lovejoy had earlier advocated the use of the term 'biological diversity.' Much before that the term 'natural diversity' was also used. However, somehow the term biodiversity seems to have universal appeal and is, therefore, now widely accepted.