Planet Earth: Deepening the Conversation Part I: “Why Biodiversity Matters”

In the first of our five-part series, let us begin by asking ourselves:  why should biodiversity matter?  As Rush Limbaugh once suggested, “If the spotted owl can’t adapt to the superiority of humans, then screw it…The spotted owl is not smart enough to appreciate us saving it.”  So, what are the reasons that we should appreciate and protect biological diversity?  Why does biodiversity matter?