# What is biodiversity? | Natural History Museum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTC4qiXd36Q

[00:02] Biodiversity.
[00:04] The name we give to the variety of all life on Earth.
[00:08] From bacteria to baboons, from plants to people, the range of life on our planet is incredible.
[00:14] All living things exist in their own communities, or ecosystems.
[00:19] These ecosystems can be oceans, forests, deserts, ice caps and even cities.
[00:25] All of that put together is biodiversity - the variety and amount of all organisms and their habitats.
[00:32] We are all intertwined in a massive system called Earth.
[00:35] Each element supports the others and enables them to thrive.
[00:39] For our planet to stay healthy our ecosystems need to be able to cope with change.
[00:44] This means we need a large variety of animals and plants.
[00:48] If we allow Earth to flourish, we benefit from what it can produce - including the food we eat, the water we drink and medicines we rely on.
[01:00] What does a healthy ecosystem look like?
[01:03] Take the British coastline - all along the shores, the kelp and seaweed growing there support a huge range of life.
[01:10] Where kelp meets the seabed, all kinds of animals can use it for shelter.
[01:15] Worms, anemones, and crustaceans are protected there.
[01:19] Small fish feed on the seaweed fronds, which are eaten by bigger fish, which in turn feed us.
[01:28] The kelp forest is more than just a home for underwater animals.
[01:31] It also helps to protect our shores from erosion.
[01:34] And it captures carbon, which helps to slow climate change.
[01:39] If you take away one part of a system like this, the whole thing can collapse.
[01:44] Even small changes can have big consequences.
[01:47] We are harvesting our kelp forests for fertiliser, which removes a key part of our coastal ecosystem.
[01:54] This is just one of the threats biodiversity is facing, in the UK and all over the world.
[02:00] We are now in an era when we have the biggest impact on Earth's natural systems.
[02:06] The causes of biodiversity loss are complicated, but we know we are making the problems worse.
[02:12] On land, we are converting natural habitats into farms, factories, roads and cities.
[02:20] In the ocean, we are fishing, drilling and mining.
[02:25] We are all responsible for the planet's wellbeing.
[02:28] You can help protect our life support system with relatively small changes.
[02:33] Reduce waste, eat sustainably and protect green spaces near you.
[02:41] It's not too late if we all make positive changes.
[02:45] Visit nhm.ac.uk to find out more about what you can do.