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Plant Conservation: Introduction
Of all the characteristics of life on earth, none is so dazzling as its sheer diversity. It is plants that fuel this dazzling diversity, through one of the great marvels of evolution—photosynthesis. Almost all life on this planet depends on the ability of plants to capture the energy in sunlight and convert it into the food that all organisms, including us, need to survive.
The term biodiversity refers to the total variability of life on earth. It includes the diversity of species, the genetic diversity within species, and the diversity of ecosystems that include various species.
This biodiversity is increasingly at risk. Most people have heard that many large mammals, such as giant pandas and tigers, are at risk of extinction. But few are aware that a devastating number of plants—an estimated 100,000 of them worldwide—are also at risk of extinction.