Biodiversity as a Language: What the Loss of Species Means for Human Culture
Writer: Jiyan TEKAY Biodiversity is often described in numbers: how many species are left, how many are endangered, how many have already vanished. These numbers are important for science, but they do not capture the whole picture. Biodiversity is not only about counting species; it is about the richness of life and the meanings it carries for humans. Every species can be seen as a kind of word in a larger conversation between nature and culture (Maffi, 2005). Their songs, colors, and...