Biodiversity is addressed first through a discussion of how many known living organisms exist on earth. Sheer numbers necessitate organization of living organisms into groups. One way of categorizing organisms into groups is the 6-Kingdom Classification System . It is important to note that we do not know about most of the species that probably exist. Factors that affect biodiversity are presented followed by the relationship between biodiversity and human existence.
Humans profoundly affect biodiversity.
Extinction decreases biodiversity. Today it is apparent that human activity plays a major role in species extinction. Habitat destruction often leads to species extinction. Rainforests, which have very high biodiversity, have been destroyed at a rapid rate throughout this century. Deforestation of rainforests is often done so crops can be grown or animals can graze.