New
New
Year 8

Conserving biodiversity

I can describe a number of ways in which humans are impacting on biodiversity.

New
New
Year 8

Conserving biodiversity

I can describe a number of ways in which humans are impacting on biodiversity.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Biodiversity is important to maintain healthy habitats.
  2. A gene pool is the range of DNA in a species.
  3. Biodiversity can be maintained by conservation, protection and gene banks.

Keywords

  • Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the range of different living organisms (species) that live in a place.

  • Gene bank - A gene bank is a store of genetic material for future use. For example, collections of seeds, or stores of plant and animal cells.

  • DNA - Genetic material is made of a chemical substance called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

  • Conservation - Conservation is the process of protecting biodiversity and the environment.

  • Gene pool - The gene pool is the range of DNA in a species. The larger the gene pool, the more easily species can adapt to changes to their habitat.

Common misconception

Biodiversity conservation can only take place in large natural habitats such as forests.

Biodiversity conservation can take place on a small scale, for example, by providing habitats in gardens and in urban areas. On a smaller scale still, seeds and embryos can be stored to help conserve gene pools.

There are lots of examples of conservation in action that pupils can research as an independent project. Lots of zoos also provide information about how they contribute to conservation projects as part of their work.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? This habitat has a high level of biodiversity.
An image in a quiz
true
Correct answer: false
Q2.
Which of the following would be likely to decrease biodiversity?
planting more trees in a habitat
Correct answer: changing a grassland into a playing field
Correct answer: extreme climate change
conserving a habitat as part of a nature reserve
Q3.
Groups of organisms that are able to reproduce with each other to produce offspring that are also able to reproduce are called a .
Correct Answer: species
Q4.
Which of the following organisms could be sampled using this piece of sampling equipment?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: orchid flowers
bees
Correct answer: snails
foxes
bats
Q5.
Match the following features of a pitfall trap to how the feature helps to sample organisms.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:steep sides,stop organisms in the trap escaping

stop organisms in the trap escaping

Correct Answer:leaves in the trap,are food to attract organisms

are food to attract organisms

Correct Answer:drainage holes,stop organisms in the trap drowning

stop organisms in the trap drowning

Correct Answer:cover,protects the trap from weather

protects the trap from weather

Correct Answer:buried level with the surface,to help make sure that organisms drop into the trap

to help make sure that organisms drop into the trap

Q6.
What might this net be used to sample?
An image in a quiz
rabbits
grasses
Correct answer: butterflies
Correct answer: grasshoppers
sparrows

6 Questions

Q1.
What does an arrow in a food chain show?
the size of an organism
which organisms are carnivores
the direction that organisms move
Correct answer: how food is transferred from one organism to another
Q2.
The process of protecting biodiversity and the environment is called .
Correct Answer: conservation, conserving
Q3.
Which of the following are examples of gene banks?
Correct answer: Svalbaard Global Seed Vault
a gardener's store of seeds for their allotment
Correct answer: a cryobank
packets of seeds at a garden centre
Q4.
The gene pool of a species determines ...
Correct answer: the genetic variation (differences) in a species.
how similar the individual organisms are.
how many different features an individual organism has.
Q5.
In which of the following habitats is there likely to be the most biodiversity?
the Arctic
Correct answer: a tropical rainforest
a desert
a small pond
Q6.
The Tasmanian tiger became extinct less than 100 years ago because of the impact of humans on their habitat. Which of the following reasons might explain why the animal became extinct?
An image in a quiz
The animals were well adapted to their habitats.
Small numbers of individuals meant that there was plenty of food to eat.
Correct answer: As the numbers reduced, the gene pool was too small to adapt to habitat change.