BIODIVERSITY Scientists have identified 2 million species on Earth so far. Estimates reach up to 100 million possible species Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region.

How can we keep diversity high? Preserving and protecting individual species and the ecosystems they live in is critical to maintaining high biodiversity on Earth

Why do we want biodiversity to be high? Plants contain chemicals which are used as medicine. The more diverse the plants in an ecosystem the more diverse the animals and thus the “healthier” the ecosystem

THE KINGDOMS Living things can be grouped into 5 KINGDOMS: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and the protists (like amoeba and paramecium) Things in the same kingdom have similar traits

The ANIMAL KINGDOM The animals are divided into VERTEBRATES (have a back bone) and INVERTEBRATES (no backbone)

The INVERTEBRATES Includes the following groups Crustaceans Molluscs Worms Insects Arachnids

The VERTEBRATES Include the following groups Mammals Aves Reptiles Amphibians Pisces

Classify these animals