What is biodiversity and why is it important? Here’s what to know. [Video]

Earth is home to millions of discovered species of plants and animals with many more yet to be known. They all play vital roles in each other, their ecosystems, and the planet’s overall health and they make up what is known as biological diversity. 

But what exactly is biodiversity? It’s a shortened version of two scientific terms — biological diversity. Essentially, all it means is having a variety of living things. There are three main levels of biodiversity scientists typically refer to, according to the Smithsonian, including species, genetic and ecosystem diversity. Under these categories, researchers are looking to identify how many and what kind of species are around, what the genetic makeup of those individual species are and passing down to generations and what species populations are in various environments, such as waterways and forests. 

“These levels cannot be separated,” the Smithsonian says. “Each is important, interacting with and …