5. Biodiversity

What is biodiversity?

The variety of different species and numbers of individuals within those species in an area

Why is biodiversity important?

• Food

• Potential foods

• Stable environments

• Industrial materials

• New medicines

• Human well being

• Valuable genes → disease / drought resistence

How is biodiversity protected

Use of legislation

What can legislation be and why

Legislation to protect species can be difficult as wildlife needs sometimes conflict with human needs

What are conservation methods

Methods that protect biodiversity or endangered species

List the conservation methods

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered species

• Sites of special scientific interest

• Captive breeding programmes

• National parks

• Seed / sperm banks

• Local biodiversity action plans

• Conservation of habitats of threatened species

• Recreation of habitats that have declined

Convention on international trade in endangered species

Laws preventing endangered animals being sold

Sites of special scientific interest

A monitored area by scientists, protected because of rare habitats or rare species

Captive breeding programmes

Capture of rare animals and keep them in an enclosed area to breed, then offspring and parents release back into wild when old enough

National parks

Protected area where building is restricted

Seed / sperm banks

Stores seeds + sperms from real animals / plants to repopulate future generations

Local biodiversity action plans

Local plans to protect and improve the environment

Conservation of habitats of threatened species

Protecting habitats that already exist with rare species

Recreation of habitats that have declined

Recreating habitats that have declined e.g. reforestation