Loss of biodiversity

Question 1

Why is biodiversity important?

Answer 1

• Removal of one species can affect others
• Can lead to a loss of another species’ food
• Essential for maintaining a balanced ecosystem

Question 2

What are the 4 methods in which biodiversity is being lost by humans?

Answer 2

• Deforestation
• Agriculture
• Hunting and fishing
• Pollution

Question 3

How does deforestation contribute to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 3

reduces both the number of trees and number of supported animal species, as their food source or home has been lost, which in turn can affect predator species

Question 4

How does agriculture contribute to loss of biodiveristy? (hedgerows)

Answer 4

Farmers remove hedgerows to use large machinery and to free up extra land for crops which reduces the number of plant species and destroys the habitat of animals

Question 5

How does agriculture contribute to loss of biodiveristy? (pesticides)

Answer 5

Use of pesticides reduce the number of pest species but also reoves the food source of other organisms and may kill other animals which were not targeted

Question 6

How does agriculture contribute to loss of biodiveristy? (herbicides)

Answer 6

Use of herbicides reduces the number of plant species present but also the number of animal species present byb removing a source of food or shelter

Question 7

How does hunting and fishing contribute to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 7

• Overfishing has led to some fish populations decreasing significantly and other marine species may also be caught and killed
• Hunting decreases the target species’ population which removes food for other species which may allow the unchecked growth of some plant species, which then outcompete other plants and further reduces biodiversity

Question 8

How does pollution affect biodiversity?

Answer 8

the more polluted an area, the fewer the number of species that can survive