Biodiversity: Ecosystems, Biomes and Classification

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity is the variety of living things in an area.
• Taxonomy is classifying organisms into groups.
• Ecology is the study of interaction of living things.
• Ecosystem is a community of living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things interacting in an area.
• Biome is a large area with a specific climate, plants, and animals (e.g., desert, rainforest).

Changes in Biodiversity

• Biodiversity is decreasing because of deforestation, pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction.
• Species are becoming extinct.

Importance of Biodiversity

• Biodiversity helps ecosystems stay balanced.
• Bees help pollinate flowers, which helps plants grow.
• The disappearance of species like bees can negatively impact plant and food production.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Biotic factors are living things (e.g., animals, plants, bacteria).
• Abiotic factors are nonliving things (e.g., sunlight, water, soil, temperature).

Characteristics of Life

• Key characteristics include growth, reproduction, respiration, nutrition, movement, sensitivity, and excretion.

Autotrophs vs. Heterotrophs

• Autotrophs make their own food (e.g., plants, algae).
• Heterotrophs eat other organisms for energy (e.g., animals, humans).

Defining Biomes

• Climate (temperature and rainfall), types of plants, and types of animals define a biome.

Biotic and Abiotic Relationships

• A fish (biotic) needs clean water (abiotic) to survive.
• A tree (biotic) uses sunlight (abiotic) to grow.

Factors Affecting Biodiversity

• Natural factors: Climate, natural disasters (volcanic eruptions, floods).
• Human-caused factors: Pollution, deforestation, hunting, habitat destruction.

Human Impact on the Environment

• Positive impacts: Conservation efforts, planting trees, protecting animals.
• Negative impacts: Pollution, deforestation, hunting, habitat destruction.

Limiting Factors

• A limiting factor controls the size of a population.
• Examples: Food availability, water supply, sunlight, temperature, living space, predators, competition.
• If food or water is limited, populations decrease.
• If predators are removed, prey populations may grow too fast.

Ecological Succession

• Primary succession happens in areas with no life (e.g., after a volcanic eruption).
• Secondary succession happens where life existed before but was disturbed (e.g., after a wildfire).

Pioneer Species

• A pioneer species is the first organism to grow in an empty area.
• Mosses and lichens on volcanic rock are examples.
• Pioneer species gradually break down rocks into smaller particles to form the first layer of soil.
• This allows other plants and organisms to start growing.

Wildlife Conservation

• Conservation means protecting and restoring nature and wildlife.
• Renewable resources Natural resources that can be replaced (e.g., sunlight, wind, trees).
• Non-renewable resources Resources that cannot be replaced quickly (e.g., coal, oil).
• Extinction is when a species disappears forever.
• Endangered speciesare animals or plants that are at risk of extinction.

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

• Renewable resources can be replaced naturally (e.g., solar energy, trees).
• Non-renewable resources take millions of years to form (e.g., coal, oil).

Causes of Extinction

• Causes include habitat destruction such as deforestation, climate change, overhunting and pollution.

Importance of Conservation

• It helps protect animals, plants, and their habitats.
• If species disappear, ecosystems become unbalanced.
• We depend on animals and plants for survival, such as food, medicine, water purification, oxygen etc

Wildlife Conservation Methods

• Community Initiatives- such as beach pickups, recycling projects, reducing pollution, planting more trees, stopping illegal hunting, locals within a community working together to protect natural habitats.
• Media campaigns - bringing awareness via social media, television, radio, newspaper
• Laws and national parks- stricter laws around illegal hunting and poaching, creating nature reserves
• Research and Tracking wildlife- research teams working on tracking populations of different species and learning as much as they can about the behaviors of these species and the conditions they need to survive.

Plant and Animal Cell Comparison

• Animal Cell Parts:
  • Cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell.
  • Cytoplasm Jelly-like substance where chemical reactions happen.
  • Nucleus contains DNA and manages cell activities.
  • Mitochondria produces energy.
• Plant Cell Parts:
  • Cell wall provides structure and support.
  • Cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell.
  • Cytoplasm facilitates chemical reactions.
  • Nucleus manages cell activities and contains DNA.
  • Mitochondria produces energy.
  • Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
  • Permanent vacuole stores water, nutrients, waste, and helps maintain shape.
• Common Features of Plant and Animal Cells:
  • Both have a cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, and mitochondria.
  • Both carry out respiration to produce energy.
• Differences Between Plant and Animal Cells:
  • Plant cells have a cell wall, but animal cells do not.
  • Plant cells have chloroplasts for photosynthesis, but animal cells do not.

Explore biodiversity, taxonomy, and ecology. Learn about ecosystems, biomes, and the factors impacting biodiversity like deforestation and climate change. Understand the significance of biotic and abiotic components and the effects of species extinction.