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Biodiversity Definition

Biodiversity measures the number of different kinds of plants and animals that live in an area. For example, rainforests have high biodiversity.

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Biodiversity of Life on Earth

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Because the Arctic is very cold and it is tough to survive there, it does not have a lot of biodiversity.
  • Humans benefit from biodiversity, like worms that aerate the soil to help plants grow,
  • Scientists study biodiversity to see if an environment is healthy.

Why Do We Need To Know About Biodiversity

Learning about biodiversity on Earth helps us understand why healthy environments are important for us to live. Scientists look at how many kinds of plants and animals are in a place to help them take care of our world. This is useful for jobs that take care of the environment, grow food, and more. It shows us how everything in nature works together.

Knowing about all the different living things also helps people who work with wild animals, control pests, or plan cities. This helps them make better choices about how to use land and solve problems in a way that keeps our environment healthy. Understanding biodiversity is key to looking after our planet and meeting people’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do desert animals build homes underground?
Desert animals build subterranean homes to stay cool in the heat. Underground is also a good place to hide from predators.
Why is a rainforest so much more diverse than the Arctic?
The Arctic is very cold, which makes it tough to survive there. A rainforest gets lots of rain, which causes lots of plants to grow. Plants are homes and food for many different animals. It is also warm in the rainforest.
What kinds of things do raccoons eat?
Raccoons are scavengers, so they eat whatever they can find. Sometimes they dig around in garbage cans for food.
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