B IODIVERSITY

number and variety of species and ecosystems on Earth

F ACTORS THAT I NCREASE B IODIVERSITY recycling planting gardens using public transit establishing protected wildlife sanctuaries

F ACTORS THAT D ECREASE B IODIVERSITY pollution deforestation urban sprawl climate change

W HAT IS A S PECIES ? a group of organisms mating between members of the group occurs naturally offspring are healthy and fertile

H YBRIDIZATION mating between members of two different species resulting in an offspring offspring is call a hybrid offspring are infertile

G ENETIC D IVERSITY genetic differences/varieties that occur between members of the same species populations of species are healthier with more genetic diversity

S PECIES D IVERSITY number of individual of a species in a given environment number of different types of species in a given environment higher species diversity create a healthier ecosystem because species depend on one another allows communities to be more resistant to extreme weather, bacterial and viral infections

D IVERSITY IN E COSYSTEMS Types of Organisms heterotrophs organisms that cannot produce their own food organisms that must consume other organisms to get energy and nutrients autotrophs organisms that can produce their own food using energy from a non-living source

D IVERSITY IN E COSYSTEMS Types of Interactions mutualism relationship between members of two different species where both species benefit parasitism relationship between members of two different species where one species benefits and the other is harmed commensalism relationship between members of two different species where one species benefits and the other species is not effected predation relationship between members of two different species where one species consumes the other species See page 11 for more examples! w

D IVERSITY IN E COSYSTEMS Types of Habitats habitat where an organism lives depends on altitude latitude longitude proximity to water presence of other organisms