What is biodiversity?

All living beings on earth are part of a great interdependent system. Non-living things such as water, rocks, and soil, also form a part of this system that makes all life possible. The great diversity of components that make up this system – also known as biodiversity – and the relationships that exist among all of them, is what makes life on Earth possible.

Because of its unique geographic characteristics, Panama is an ideal place to see biodiversity at work.

A Definition of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of living beings of any source, including those in the terrestrial and maritime ecosystems and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological systems to which they belong. It also covers the diversity that exists within each specie, among different species, and among different ecosystems.

In other words, biodiversity is the variety of life in all its shapes, levels, and combinations.

Biodiversity Themes in the Museum

• Formation of the Isthmus of Panama
  See how Panama's tectonic past shaped its biodiverse present.
• Cultures of nature
  Biodiversity is a powerful concept that allows us to understand the world around us.
• Ecosystems in flux
  All parts of the system of life are highly dependent on each other.
• Diversity at every scale
  Nature's diversity is found at every scale, from the smallest DNA molecules, to the largest mammals.
• The story of water
  Water is the fuel that makes life possible, and Panama has it in abundance.
• Instincts
  Behaviors are also a part of the great system of nature.
• Interdependent living
  The connections between parts of the system are as important – if not more so – than the parts themselves.