What is the difference between diversity and variation?

Answer 1

Diversity is different and variation is multiple things that are different; there can be a variation of diversity that would mean that there are many different ways to contrast and be different from something else.

Diversity is the variety of living things and differences between them.

If talking about habitats, it means number of different species in that habitat. more species, more diverse.

Variation can be inter specific.

Intraspecific variation is variation within species and comprises genetic variation and phenotypic variation.

Different genes might allow one tree to grow taller or flower earlier, or be more tolerant of drought or other stresses.

Diversity- means the different families and species of wildlife.

Variation- means the different hybrids of a species.

Answer 2

Those words have similar meanings but with a slightly different emphasis. Any difference, whether important or unimportant, can be described as a variation. Diversity, however, implies that there is a wide range of types of whatever it is that is under discussion; the variations are significant, important variations. Even so, describing a presentation of (let us say) food as a diverse meal or as a varied meal would mean the same thing. However, seeing variation in a population and seeing diversity would not mean exactly the same thing. In that context, diversity is more significant than variation. Variations can be trivial, but diversity isn't.