1. Biodiversity Notes

3. What does biodiversity mean?
Bio = Life
Diversity = Variety
Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and how all things depend on one another.

4. Why is biodiversity important?
All living things have a unique role no matter how small they are. If one things goes extinct it can throw off a whole ecosystem’s food web.

5. Biodiversity helps sustain the ecosystem
More species = More links in the food web = More stable
More plants = More food for other animals (more oxygen too)
More genes = Better chance for survival through adaptation
Variety of ecosystems = More habitats for different species

6. What are the 3 components of biodiversity?
Diversity of genes
Example: Chihuahuas, Beagles, and Rottweilers are all dogs- but they are not the same because their genes are different.

7. What are the 3 components of biodiversity?
2. Diversity of species
Example: Monkeys, Dragonflies, and Meadows are all different species entirely.

8. What are the 3 components of biodiversity?
3. Diversity of ecosystems
Example: Prairies, Ponds, and Rainforests are all ecosystems, but each one is different and has different species living in it.

9. Biodiversity High Biodiversity = More Sustainable, Healthy
Low Biodiversity = Not Sustainable, Dangerous