"Biodiversity is critical to future health of California’s ecology and economy," an article by UC Ag and Natural Resources associate vice president Barbara Allen-Diaz and published in California Agriculture journal, provides important information for all Californians. It is vital that we have a clear understanding of these issues in order to make wise decisions now and in the future.
The “web of life” is a delicate interconnectedness of all organisms and environments on earth. We are a part of this intricate web and have a responsibility to take the best possible care of our planet. This can be best accomplished by learning more about the ecosystems around us.
Did you know that:
- Biodiversity is directly linked to our quality of life?
- That 3 of the 5 “hot spots” for unique diversity loss nationwide are located in California?
- Biodiversity within our ecosystems provide such services as pollination, nutrient cycling and cleansing of air and water?
Over 4,800 native plant species live in California. Due to the geologic, topographic and climatic diversity of our state, biodiversity of plant life in our state far exceeds that of any other state, including Hawaii.