Question

in your own words, answer the following questions related to biodiversity:
a) what is the biodiversity crisis? 1 mark
use the editor to format your answer
question 22
b) provide 3 reasons discussed in class for why is the biodiversity crisis happening, and explain each one in a few sentences. 3 marks

Explanation:

Part (a)

The Biodiversity Crisis refers to the rapid and widespread loss of Earth's biodiversity, including species extinction, reduction in genetic variation within species, and loss of ecosystem diversity, primarily due to human activities like habitat destruction, climate change, and overexploitation.

1. Habitat Destruction: Human activities like deforestation, urbanization, and converting natural lands for agriculture destroy the natural homes of species. For example, cutting down rainforests removes habitats for countless plant and animal species, leading to their decline or extinction.
2. Climate Change: Rising global temperatures (due to greenhouse gas emissions) alter ecosystems. Polar ice melts affect polar bears' habitats, and changing rainfall patterns disrupt plant - pollinator relationships, as some plants may bloom at different times than when their pollinators are active.
3. Overexploitation: Over - hunting, over - fishing, and over - harvesting of species (e.g., overfishing of tuna species) deplete populations faster than they can reproduce, pushing species towards extinction and disrupting food webs.

Answer:

The Biodiversity Crisis is the rapid, widespread loss of Earth's biodiversity (species, genetic, ecosystem diversity) mainly due to human activities like habitat destruction, climate change, and overexploitation.

Part (b)