BioConcepts

biological diversitybiologische Vielfalt (ger.)

• Biodiversity, i.e. the diversity of plant and animal life, especially as represented by the number of extant species. (OED)  
  category diversity see also biodiversity

  1916

  The bare statement that the region contains a flora rich in genera and species and of diverse geographic origin or affinity is entirely inadequate as a description of its real biological diversity.

  Harris, J.A. (1916). The variable desert. Sci. Monthly 3, 41-50: 49.

  1947

  Even a casual observer of the tide pools gets some of the feeling for biological diversity, fecundity, and struggle which has played so important a part in Steinbeck’s thinking.

  Champney, F. (1947). John Steinbeck, Californian. The Antioch Review 7, 345-62: 347.

  1962

  Trotz ihrer Häufigkeit, Artenfülle und biologischen Vielfalt ist über die meisten Gruppen kleiner Schlupfwespen systematisch und faunistisch erst sehr wenig bekannt.

  Boneß, M. (1962). Über die Proctotrupiden Schleswig-Holsteins. Bombus 2, 112-115: 112.

  1963

  Im allgemeinen sind die alten Kleideiche, namentlich wenn sie keine Meeresberührung mehr haben, den modernen Sandkerndeichen bezüglich der biologischen Vielfalt der Lebensgemeinschaft und der Biomasse überlegen.

  Heydemann, B. (1963). Deiche der Nordseeküste als besonderer Lebensraum. Ökologische Untersuchungen über die Arthropoden-Besiedlung. Die Küste 11, 90-130: 128.

  1969

  Conservation of diversity should become the primary aim of conservation […] They [conservationists] should be explicit that their fundamental aim is to conserve biological diversity either for its own sake or for the future good of mankind

  Moore, N.W. (1969). Experience with pesticides and the theory of conservation. Biological Conservation 1, 201-207: 201; 203.
  

  1974

  [a major theme of the conference was the need to develop an ‘ethic of biotic diversity,’ in which such diversity is perceived as a value in itself and is tied in with the survival and fitness of the human race

  Holden, C. (1974). Scientists talk of the need for conservation and an ethic of biotic diversity to slow species extinction. Science 184, 646-647: 646.]
  

  1980

  reduction in the biological diversity of the planet is the most basic issue of our time

  Lovejoy, T.E. (1980). Foreword. In: Soulé, M.E. & Wilcox, B.A. (eds.). Conservation Biology. An Evolutionary-Ecological Perspective, v-ix: ix.

  1980

  Biological diversity includes two related concepts, genetic diversity and ecological diversity. Genetic diversity is the amount of genetic variability among individuals in a single species, whether species exist as a single interbreeding group or as number of populations, strains, breeds, races, or subspecies. Ecological diversity (species richness) is the number of species in a community of organisms. Both kinds of diversity are fundamental to the functioning of ecological systems.

  Norse, E.A. & McManus, R.E. (1980). Ecology and living resources: biological diversity. In: Environmental Quality 1980. The Eleventh Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality: 32.
  

  1982

  It is […] likely that the depletion of a […] nonrenewable resource, the biological diversity of our planet, will be the prime factor in triggering a decline in human numbers so catastrophic that it could spell the end of industrial civilization

  Ehrlich, P. (1982). Human carrying capacity, extinctions, and nature reserves. BioScience 32, 32, 331-333: 331.
  

  1983

  Human activities are rapidly degrading the biosphere with serious consequences for the maintenance oft he planet’s biological diversity in general and in particular for the preservation of its genetic resources

  Myers, N. & Aysensu, E.S. (1983). Reduction of biological diversity and species loss. Ambio 12, 72-74: 72.
  

  1984

  Biological diversity can be defined generally as the diversity of life forms, the genetic diversity they contain, and the ecological functions they perform. This general definition can be expanded by further defining components of biological diversity at different levels of biological organization […]. The different levels of biological organization are ecosystems, species, populational, and molecular. The components at each level are communities, species, populations, and genes, respectively.

  Wilcox, B.A. (1984). Concepts in conservation biology: application to the management of biological diversity. In: Cooley, J.L. & Cooley, J.H. (eds.). Natural Diversity in Forest Ecosystems, 155-172: 156.
  

  1986

  Biological diversity is the diversity of life. Ecologists studying the patterns and processes of life tend to focus on three levels of biological diversity: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. The most familiar level, species diversity, varies greatly from place to place. […] A lower, less obvious level of biological diversity is genetic diversity within species. […] There is also a higher level of biological diversity Different physical settings have more or less distinctive communities of species. This is ecosystem diversity.

  Norse, E.A. et al. (1986). Conserving Biological Diversity in Our National Forests: 2-3.
  

  1987

  Biological diversity refers to the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. Diversity can be defined as the number of different items and their relative frequency. For biological diversity, these items are organized at many levels, ranging from complete ecosystems to the chemical structures that are the molecular basis of heredity. Thus, the term encompasses different ecosystems, species, genes, and their relative abundance.

  Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) (1987). Technologies to Maintain Biological Diversity. Congress of the United States, OTA-F-330: 3.
  

  1992

  “Biological diversity” means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

  UNCED (1992). Convention on Biological Diversity: Art. 2.

  1992

  Ende der biologischen Vielfalt?

  Wilson, E.O. & Peter, F.M. (eds.) (1992). Ende der biologischen Vielfalt? Der Verlust an Arten, Genen und Lebensraumen und die Chancen fur eine Umkehr. (transl. by B. Dittami of Biodiversity, Washington, D.C. 1988)

  1993

  Die biologische Vielfalt bleibt nur erhalten, wenn der Natur mehr Raum zugestanden wird, wo sie sich ansiedeln und frei entfalten kann.

  Praz, J.-C. (1993). Pouta Fontana, Sumpf in der Rhoneebene (Kantonales naturhistorsche Museum, Sion): 5.

  2007

  Biologische Vielfalt oder Biodiversität ist letztlich alles das, was zur Vielfalt der belebten Natur beiträgt. „Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt“ umfasst den „Schutz“ und die „nachhaltige Nutzung“.

  Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (2007). Nationale Strategie zur biologischen Vielfalt: 9.

  2009

  Für dieses Gesetz gelten folgende Begriffsbestimmungen: 1. biologische Vielfalt [:] die Vielfalt der Tier- und Pflanzenarten einschließlich der innerartlichen Vielfalt sowie die Vielfalt an Formen von Lebensgemeinschaften und Biotopen

  Anonymus (2009). Bundesnaturschutzgesetz vom 29. Juli 2009. Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I, Nr. 51, ausgegeben zu Bonn am 6. August 2009, 2542-2579: 2546.