### difference | dissimilarity | heterogeneity | diversity:

Diversity of life
* describes the variety of different kinds of living things.
* is our common heritage, and is the basis for future life.

Ethnic diversity
* is also an important issue to many people.
* strength of the community.

Fish diversity
* correlates with reef surface area, surface complexity, and height.
* is low, dominated by Arctic marine species, particularly Arctic cod.

### difference | dissimilarity | heterogeneity | diversity:

Genetic diversity
* Most genetic diversity drives evolution
  - improves productivity
  - refers to variability
* Some genetic diversity affects ability
  - analyses use markers
  - has components
* accumulates over time, and mutations occur at a relatively constant rate.
* affects the evolutionary potencial of any species.
* allows species to adapt to change in the environment.
* can also be critical in controlling disease.
* decreases, however, every time a species, breed or crop variety becomes extinct.
* enhances the resistance of a seagrass ecosystem to disturbance.
* huge advantage when an organism's habitat is in a period of flux.
* is also a constituent of agricultural systems all over the world
  - important in terms of evolution
  - determined by the presence or absence of a band at a particular locus
  - diversity within each species
* is essential for a species to evolve
  - long-term germplasm enhancement
* is important for keeping the herd healthy and adaptable
  - in maintaining a healthy population
  - to species because it creates natural variation among individuals
  - really a form of biodiversity
* is the amount of genetic variation among the individuals in a population
  - diversity of genetic information that exists in individual organisms
  - key to our survival
  - raw material for plant breeding
  - total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species
  - ultimate basis for the variety of species and ecosystems
  - variation of the genetic makeup of individuals or populations of species
  - variety of genes within a species
  - very important for species survival
  - what gives a species a chance for long term survival
* maintains the world, allowing crops to survive pests and disease.
* major contributor to variations in human drug response.
* makes microevolution and adaptation to the environment possible.
* measure of the possible choices of different information at a gene.
* occurs within and between populations of species as well as between species.
* plays an important role in the survival and adaptability of a species.
* provides a natural hedge against insect and disease damage
  - best overall protection
* provides the foundation for the survival and evolution of a species
  - raw material for adaptation to local conditions
* refers to the variation of genes within species
  - variation within and variation among populations of species
* remains lower, only slowly increasing with time as random mutations occur.

Greater diversity
* is only possible when there are a minimum of pollution stresses in the stream.
* means a superior gene pool through greater variation and complexity.
* provides for increased primary productivity and nutrient recycling.

Human diversity
* benefits the individual, the education system, and the community.
* can be enormous within any ethnic or racial group.
* is as important as biodiversity.
* key issue in the science of Psychology.

Language diversity
* is concentrated very unevenly around the world.
* varies significantly across countries.

Linguistic diversity
* fact of nature.
* has all the merits attributed to biological diversity.

Religious diversity
* critically important value in our society.
* fact of modern life locally, nationally, and globally.

Workplace diversity
* goes beyond rectifying disadvantage and correcting past actions.
* means something very different in Russia than in the United States.