Forest analysis Biodiversity Forests contain the greatest assemblages of species found in any terrestrial ecosystem, and the status of biodiversity is, in itself, an indicator of forest condition.
Forests encompass biodiversity at the ecosystem level, the species level, and the genetic level.
Plant, animal and insect species in these forests directly supply the needs of forest-dwelling peoples. Wood products from thousands of tree species are used domestically and traded internationally. Nonwood forest products, including fruits, nuts, mushrooms, Christmas boughs, and floral decorations, are collected by individuals, traded in local markets and, in some cases, exported worldwide. The genetic diversity of forest flora and fauna is a resource of great potential value to the agricultural and pharmaceutical biotechnology industries, though the process of winnowing valuable genes from millions of unrewarding species is proving time-consuming and expensive. Use values aside, the biological richness and beauty of forest ecosystems are at the core of their appeal to environmentalists and the wider public today.