Biological diversity or “biodiversity” describes the variety of all biological life, being plants and animals, fungi and microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems where they live. Biodiversity encompasses all life forms and their interactions with each other. Biodiversity is seen as being New Zealand’s biological wealth. It contributes to the productivity of our landbased primary production; farming, forestry and horticulture and provides a number of services, without which our farm systems would become unsustainable. It also contributes to the well-being of all New Zealanders.
This FAR Focus contains information on:
- What do we mean by “biodiversity”
- Eco-system services and the benefits for arable farms
- The benefits of biodiversity plantings on arable farms
- Biodiversity and arable soils
Click here to read the full pdf