<span dir="ltr" role="presentation">Biological diversity—or biodiversity—is the term given to the variety of life on </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">Earth, including plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as the ecosystems of</span><br role="presentation" /><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">which they are part. Biodiversity includes genetic differences within species, the </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">diversity of species and the variety of ecosystems. It is the result of the interaction</span><br role="presentation" /><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">of species, including humans, with one another and with the air, water and soil </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">around them. This combination of life forms—ecosystems, species and genetic vari</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">eties—has made Earth a uniquely habitable place and provides the goods and ser</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">vices that sustain our lives, such as clean air and water, food and medicine, fuel, </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">fibre, and material for construction. Our cultures are founded upon the different </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">environments in which they have developed.</span>