Biodiversity ensures that there is a healthy balance in the web of life. Ecosystem services and biodiversity european commission. The video and worksheet introduce and explain the following concepts biodiversity, ecosystems, environments, human impact, l. The loss of biodiversity is dangerous and its consequences are immediate. Bertholletia excelsa is an illustrative example of such a relationship and its economic importance. Explain that you are going to do a lesson that helps students think about biodiversity in other contexts, leaves in a schoolyard and birds on an island. Ecosystem biodiversity is important because it incorporates both genetic and species biodiversity, and allows for the process of natural selection by favoring different genetic traits in particular ecosystems.
Introducing biodiversity activity download journaling. Ecosystems depend on the combined contributions and interactions of the individual organisms within them. Conserving and creating awareness about biodiversity supports the health of ecosystems that directly and indirectly support humans. Day vice chairman, national science board, president, san diego state university. The concept of biodiversity continues to evolve and more recently it has been included in the idea of ecosystem services in that it is a form of natural capital and thus underpins the functioning of ecosystems. For most people, it does not just mean freedom from illness, but a state of overall social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural welfare. Choose a worksheet for learners to complete from four options. Unlike nonscientists, biologists dont think of biodiversity strictly in terms of the number of species found on earth. For instance, the role of native insects in pollination, which is critical for agriculture, has. This lesson package includes the lesson student and teacher versions of the power point, a bill nye video with worksheet and answer key and a student lesson handout as a word document.
By kate drake and kelsey poole for earth day network. Not all the worksheets will be suitable for the age group you teach. Brazil nuts are one of the economically most important wild products growing trees in the area, with more than 50 000 tonnes of the nuts exported from brazil every year. They will examine the value of biodiversity and how human activity is influencing its decline. To understand why biodiversity is important, we have to think like biologists. It is the number of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms. The brazil nut tree grows wild in the amazon forest.
They will look at the value of biodiversity and how human activity is leading to its decline. The importance of biodiversity ecology powerpoint lesson. There are many threats to our natural world, which include. The importance of biodiversity biodiversity is the amount of variety of life on earth. With the teacher acting as a facilitator, students use an interactive gis map to explore various ways to represent and compare biodiversity across ecoregions.
Biodiversity also encompasses two important factors. B the animals and plants species that live only in your backyard. Biodiversity is important in an ecosystem because it allows for a wider range of genetic information. The research station will allow students to get online and look up why biodiversity is so important. While droughts are natural and, in many places, a frequent occurrence, there are many things to biodiversity. C the rich variety of live in every ecosystem on earth. Environmentalists might define biodiversity as the total of all plant and animal life of the planet, and the planet itself. Worksheets are lesson 3 biodiversity basics, biodiversity is amazing, the wild classroom biodiversity, lesson, what is biodiversity, biology unit 3 introduction to biodiversity which, a teachers guide to biodiversity, grade 6 biodiversity activities. It has been estimated that more than 50 million species of plants, animals and microorganisms are. Biodiversity is important in an ecosystem because it allows for a wider range of. The diversity of societies, cultures and languages that has developed throughout human history is intimately related to biodiversity and its use. In this biodiversity worksheet, students look at 3 illustrations and identify an adaptation for survival for each organism.
Associate professor, kamala nehru college, university of delhi. Students will feel h umbled b y the biodiversity across the world and in their local ecosystems materials tape paper that can be hungtaped around the room or whiteboard markers or colored pencils multiples of colors, e. Ks4 biodiversity and adaptations teaching resources. Good chairman, national science board, senior vice president, technology, alliedsignal, inc. Nearly 45,000 species of plants and twice as many of animals have been recorded from india. An ecosystem is defined by its geography, climate, soil and water resources, and species. Most cultures, at least at some time, have recognized the importance of conserving natural resources. A it gives us food to eat, water to drink, air to breath, and much more. Consensus statement two there is mounting evidence that biodiversity increases the stability of ecosystem functions through time. Biodiversity and conservation although india h as only 2. B when two species dont want to live near each other. B it makes out world unique, and it makes us happy. Biodiversity can be measured through the use of quantitativeindicators, although no single unified approach exists. Learners can begin thinking about biodiversity simply by looking for different getting ready.
Biodiversity itself is not generally considered an ecosystem service but rather supports environmental functions. Species evenness refers to how evenly different groups of species are distributed within a community. Click on popout icon or print icon to worksheet to print or download. Environmentalists might define biodiversity as the total of all plant and animal life of the planet, and the planet itself the air, water and land that supports animal and plant life. Carrington, damian, what is biodiversity and why does it matter to us. The power point is fun and applicable with four videos embedded into the power point. Horticulture, biodiversity and nutrition article pdf available in journal of food composition and analysis 236. In fact, the variety of living things found across the planet also known as species diversity or species richness is just one part of. Biodiversity has been linked to stability in ecosystems. Biodiversity also underpins ecosystem function and the provision of ecosystem services. Human society depends on biological resources, their diversity and the ecosystems that sustain them to provide essential goods and services. Cut the web of life worksheet so that each group receives a few questions each. This is the second component of biodiversity which scientists often use to come up with a biodiversity index.
The importance of biodiversity university of delhi. Our biodiversity is very important to the wellbeing of our planet. In africa, where droughts are common, they have been more prolonged than in the past. An overview of plant biodiversity is provided in this chapter. The importance of biodiversity worksheet tuesday, june 4, 2019. Importance of biodiversity loss of biodiversity may have reverberating consequences on ecosystems because of the complex interrelations among species. Biodiversity refers to an abundance of different types biodiversity. Biodiversity is categorized into species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity. Biodiversity worksheets and introduction teaching resources. Biologists estimate that species extinctions are currently 500 times the normal, or background, rate seen previously in earths history. In this worksheet, students will learn about the importance of biodiversity and how the balance of organism interdependence can be disturbed by human activities and environmental changes.
From the hot arid deserts of the sahara, through the lush green rainforests of the amazon, to the ocean depths and bright corals, our natural world is a marvel of different landscapes, materials, colours and textures. Threats to biodiversity some 25% of mammals and 12% of ost of the worlds endangered species birds may become extinct over the next few decades as warmer conditions alter the forests, wetlands, and rangelands they depend on, and human development blocks them from migrating elsewhere. Biodiversity plant inventory for quadrat plot worksheets 8. Numerous forms of stability have been described, and there is no theoretical reason to believe that biodiversity should enhance all forms.
Biodiversity is important in ecosystems because it prevents extinction of species, allows organisms to adapt to changes in the environment and provides a wide range of materials and foods for survival. The powerpoint is fun and applicable with four videos embedded into the powerpo. Biodiversity, besides its ecological significance provides a socioeconomic and monetary asset to the nation. Being well, and having the capacity to look after our health and that of our family or community, depends. Through spatial and graphical analysis of bird populations on a fictional island, students learn the meaning of biodiversity, species richness, endemism, and abundance.
Have the students complete the questions on the worksheet for activity 2. The current high rates will cause a precipitous decline in the biodiversity of the planet in the next century or two. Mar 27, 2012 a set of presentations and worksheets for teaching the topic of biodiversity and adaptations in the marine environment to ks4 students. Biodiversity backgrounder and resources top 5 activities your schools can do for biodiversity why teach about biodiversity.
Details of genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity are given. While evenness can be calculated, in this lesson we use it as a general. The video will show students the importance and value of having a healthy biodiversity in an ecosystem. In this lesson, students will learn about biodiversity outside the realm of widelyknown endangered species. The importance of biodiversity for numerous industries across australia has not been quantified, but recent issues exemplify our ongoing reliance on functioning ecosystems to maintain key processes that, in the past, may have been taken for granted. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example, the extinction of one species may cause the extinction of another.
Tell them that they will later apply these concepts about biodiversity to their stream experiment. That is what makes our country one of the 12 mega diversity countries of the world. Distribute the student worksheet and show the measuring biodiversity powerpoint presentation. This 12 question worksheet with teacher answer key provides a way for students to follow along with the bill nye biodiversity video. Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as clean, consistent water flows, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate.
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