You will…
• find out what biodiversity means and why it is important;
• explore environments rich in biodiversity;
• plan strategies to maintain biodiversity in our world.
Biodiversity…what is it?
Biodiversity comes from two words: bio which is short for biology (living
things) and diversity (variety).
Biodiversity means the mixture of all life on earth.
It includes all the species, habitats and ecosystems (including humans) which
exist on our planet.
Talk to your classmates:
What do species, habitats and ecosystems mean?
Which group would humans belong to, do you think?
Species
A species is a group of living things that share the same characteristics. Living
things from the same species
can reproduce healthy offspring.
Examples include human beings, blue whales,
chimpanzees, beech trees and black widow spiders.
The variety of species on earth is huge
and very diverse.
Generate ideas with your classmates:
How many species can you think of?
Habitat
The place where a living thing lives – its home. A habitat supports the life of the
living thing.
Examples include bogs, forests, seas, hedgerows, grasslands and rainforests.
Compare your ideas with your classmates:
What habitat is nearest to you at the moment?
What living thing does the habitat support?
Ecosystem
A collection of living things that are different but can still exist together. These are
communities of living things.
Examples include a forest canopy, rock pool, river, marsh, desert and
coral reef.
Draw with your classmates:
Pick an ecosystem, sketch it quickly and ask your classmate to tell you which
ecosystem you have drawn. Label the ecosystem’s parts.
Biodiversity is…
• all species, habitats and ecosystems on our planet;
• the mixture and balance of all living things;
• beautiful, fascinating, colourful, interesting and important.
Think with your classmates:
Think of five more adjectives to describe biodiversity.
Environments
There are many types of environment in our world that support
species, habitats and ecosystems.
See if you can name the environments on the following slides.
Talk about the species, habitats and ecosystems that they may
include and support.
Tundra
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Ice Cap
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Ocean
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Desert
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Grassland
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Rainforest
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Mountains
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Forest
Urban
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
Why is biodiversity important?
• Without biodiversity, there would be an imbalance in species, habitats
and ecosystems on earth.
• Habitats must be protected so that species can live in them.
• Species must be protected so that they do not become endangered or
extinct.
• Ecosystems must not be disturbed, or they will not work
together properly.
What can we do to help biodiversity on
earth?
• We can protect habitats, species and ecosystems around us.
• We can make people aware of biodiversity and how important it is to
all living things, including human beings.
• We can support organizations working to protect, preserve and
conserve biodiversity in our world, e.g., World Wildlife Fund
and Greenpeace.
Research with your classmates:
Find the meaning of conservation and preservation in your dictionary.
