Cultural diversity means a number of cultures are represented within an area.
The word "diversity" is used to describe variety or dissimilarity in a group. There are many forms of diversity, however, two of which are cultural diversity and natural diversity, which is more commonly referred to as "biodiversity." While biodiversity describes variety in nature, such as a region with a wide variety of plant life, cultural diversity refers to the variety of cultural groups in a specific setting.
Biodiversity
In nature, biodiversity refers to an ecosystem having a wide variety of plant and animal life. A region that is naturally diverse has many advantages, since having a number of different species tends to promote healthy populations and discourage overfeeding. For example, a region that has many types of plants that support a number of animal species is optimal because no single part of this system becomes overburdened as a food source, and various creatures and plants are able to supply nutrients that the others need.
Practical Application of Biodiversity
Because natural diversity enriches an ecosystem, people who cultivate traditional and organic farms will often plant based on principles of biodiversity. The practice of crop rotation, for example, is an example of a practical application of biodiversity: farmers plant corn one year, which depletes nitrogen from the soil, so the next year, they plant soybeans or other crops in that area that will introduce more nitrogen to the system, creating a sustainable and diverse system.
Cultural Diversity
Cultural diversity refers to the number of cultures represented in a given area. For example, in a country like the United States, there is a great deal of cultural diversity because of the nation's history of immigration: When people migrated to the United States, they brought their cultures -- including food, language, religion and holidays -- with them, and many of these aspects of culture flourished first in immigrant communities, and then in the culture as a whole.
Cultural Diversity and Globalization
Because cultural diversity brings many benefits to society, including learning between cultures and innovations that arise from combining aspects of multiple cultures, some people are concerned that the growing influence of globalization is negatively affecting cultural diversity. For example, some researchers have suggested that the spread of fast food to nations with rich culinary heritages might have a negative impact on those traditions and the way citizens of those nations eat and live. Emory University's globalization website lists both positive and negative effects of globalization on cultural diversity.
