Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life forms existing on the planet and the number of species living within an area. The notion also covers the way diversity changes over time and moves from one location to another (“Facts on biodiversity,” n.d.). There is terrestrial and marine biodiversity that includes species living on Earth and in the sea. A number of species dwelling in a particular area helps to monitor the aspects of biodiversity. Maintaining biodiversity is important for people’s well-being since it plays a significant role in the contribution to human health and provision of raw materials. However, currently people often face the loss of biodiversity. Today this process is happening at a much faster pace than it did 50 years ago (“Facts on biodiversity,” n.d.). As a matter of fact, around 90 percent of all the fish on the planet was exploited within the last 50 years, a quarter of bird kinds were killed, and 70 percent of forests was destroyed. In addition, extinction threatens 18 percent of all mammals, 5 percent of the fish, and 8 percent of plants. Thus, it is possible to assume that the loss of biodiversity on Earth, which takes place nowadays, is directly linked to anthropological factors, including overhunting, overfishing, consumerism, and agricultural practices.
During fertilization in sexual reproduction, the nucleus of the male sperm cell fuses with the nucleus of the female egg cell. Chromosomes from the sperm combine with chromosomes from the egg to give the new cell a unique genetic make-up.
