Diversity of species in a community

Species diversity is the diversity of species in a community. Put simply, how many different species are there in a community? 5 or 5,000? Which has the higher diversity? Not rocket science I hope.

^That’s some rocket science, I don’t really know what it is, but I don’t wish to find out, and neither do you. Just a little motivator to not complain about biology.

Now for a little talk about deforestation and agriculture. Deforestation is the removal of trees in forests. and agriculture is the cultivation of useful plants to people which are often carefully selected for, and occupy a large area by themselves (like corn).

It’s not hard to figure out the impact both have on species diversity. Deforestation practically removes many, whole trees, and with them goes the shelter and food source of many other organisms. A great reduction in species diversity can be expected as a result.

Agriculture by humans results in a single dominant species which occupies vast land at the expense of others. Humans actively remove other species by the use of pesticides, insecticides and (indirectly)…