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Year 8 - Science

Conserving biodiversity

Biodiversity

Unit Summary

This unit examines environmental changes and their impact on species' survival and adaptation, potentially leading to extinction. It also develops skills for interpreting data and observations, evaluating errors, and using SI units and IUPAC chemical nomenclature in scientific contexts.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe a number of ways in which humans are impacting on biodiversity.

Key Notes

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

Vocabulary To Learn

  • 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 Mistakes To Avoid

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

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

Biodiversity is important to maintain healthy habitats. A gene pool is the range of DNA in a species.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'biodiversity'

Biodiversity is the range of different living organisms (species) that live in a place. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

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

More Lessons In This Unit

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