Happy International Day of Biodiversity!Whether it’s the stock market or a vibrant coral reef,

Happy International Day of Biodiversity!

Whether it’s the stock market or a vibrant coral reef, it usually pays to hedge your bets. Similar to how diversifying your stock holdings minimizes the risk of a catastrophic financial loss, biodiversity minimizes the risk of damage to ecosystems in the wake of disturbances. With lots of species present, if one suffers or is lost altogether, another can more easily take its place. Scientists call this the portfolio effect.

Photo Credit: © Rick Stuart-Smith