Buncha pedantics: The problem with that is it’s easy to add more “weedy” species to increase biodiversity per local area, even as you decrease global biodiversity. The real number is global extant species but we aren’t perfectly coordinated to know what this specific place should do best relative to what everywhere else is doing. Aaand you can’t totally re-establish density with reduced genetic diversity if it gets bad enough, but you are correct. Its the irreversible damage that is most concerning.
Total number is richness.
Buncha pedantics: The problem with that is it’s easy to add more “weedy” species to increase biodiversity per local area, even as you decrease global biodiversity. The real number is global extant species but we aren’t perfectly coordinated to know what this specific place should do best relative to what everywhere else is doing. Aaand you can’t totally re-establish density with reduced genetic diversity if it gets bad enough, but you are correct. Its the irreversible damage that is most concerning.
Thanks for noticing that! I’ll fix it.