Diversity in Alabama The word biodiversity is a descriptive term
for the overall variety of living things in the world or a
particular region. Well-known areas of high biodiversity include
tropical rainforests and coral reefs, where the varieties of
plants and animals can be astounding. An area with a large
number of a particular type of plant or animal is often called
the center of diversity for that group. For example, the lakes
of eastern Africa are known for their vast array of cichlid
fishes, the popular aquarium pets. Over 300 species of cichlids
live in Lake Victoria alone. Thus, eastern Africa is known as
the center of diversity for that group of fish. Few people know
that Alabama is the center of diversity for several types of
aquatic animals, including freshwater mussels. Alabama’s
diversity of freshwater mussels is greater than anywhere else in
the world, including tropical areas. North America is home to
307 species of freshwater mussels, as recognized by the American
Fisheries Society. A total of