🌿 1.7 – Biodiversity
📘 What is Biodiversity?
Definition:
The term “biodiversity” comes from the words “biological” (meaning life) and “diversity” (meaning variety).
So, biodiversity means:
👉 “The variety of life on Earth, in all its forms and interactions.”
This includes:
- Different species (like birds, trees, insects)
- Different genes (within a species – like eye color or blood types in humans)
- Different ecosystems (like forests, deserts, oceans)
🌱 Why is Biodiversity Important?
Biodiversity is life’s safety net. It helps:
- Maintain balance in nature
- Provide us with food, medicine, and raw materials
- Support ecological services like pollination and oxygen production
🌍 Ecosystem: The Stage of Life
📘 What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community where living things (biotic) interact with non-living things (abiotic).
Examples:
- A pond has fish 🐟, frogs 🐸, water 🌊, sunlight ☀️, and plants 🌱.
- A forest has trees 🌳, animals 🦌, soil, and rainfall 🌧️.
🔁 Key Word: Dynamic
“Dynamic” means always changing — things grow, die, and interact constantly.
🎭 Niche: The Role of an Organism
📘 What is a Niche?
A niche is like an organism’s “job” or role in an ecosystem.
It includes:
- Where it lives (its habitat)
- What it eats
- How it interacts with others (predator, prey, competitor, or helper)
- How it affects energy flow
Example:
A bee’s niche is to:
- Live in hives 🐝
- Feed on nectar 🍯
- Help pollinate flowers 🌸
🔑 Mnemonic: “Niche = Nature’s Job Card”
Just like each person has a job in society, each species has a “job” in nature — their niche.