Biodiversity

What is biodiversity? Biodiversity is the word used to describe the variety of life around us. It reflects the number, variety and variability of living organisms. It includes diversity within species, between species and among ecosystems.

Biodiversity includes all plants, animals, fungi and even the really small creatures such as bacteria and viruses. Ecosystems provide the basic necessities of life such as food, air and clean water.

Why is biodiversity important? We all depend on biodiversity every day for food, medicine, shelter and other every-day things. It is very important that we look after the biodiversity on earth.

Plants Plants come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny little things, to huge trees Plants come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny little things, to huge trees

plants Here are some plants you might find on a Thinking Walk

And here are some you might find in a botanic garden!

Animals Here are some animals you might find on a Thinking Walk

And here are some you might find abroad!

Fungi fungi Mushrooms are not a type of plant, but belong to a group called fungi. There are thought to be millions of species of fungi.

Mould that grows on gone-off food is fungi too!

Bacteria You can’t see bacteria with your eyes alone – they are far too small!

Biodiversity is really useful to us for: decoration building things fuel food drink clothes medicine musical instruments paper

All animals and plants are connected. Some animals eat plants Some animals eat other animals Some animals use plants as shelter Plants can use animals to disperse seeds and pollen We do not understand all these connections, and so do not know what else we lose when one thing becomes extinct.

Silver-washed fritillary- a story of interdependence The Silver-washed Fritillary is a butterfly found in the UK

This butterfly is most-commonly found in woodland where the food-plant of the larva (caterpillar) common dog-violet, which grows on the woodland floor.

photo by Jonathan Cardy The adults (butterflies) feed on aphid honeydew and the nectar of flowers such as bramble and thistle.

Image copy write to Patrick Roper Egg-laying females fly over the woodland floor searching for common dog-violet.

When the food is found, the female flies to a nearby tree trunk and lays eggs on the tree bark covered in moss. This keeps the larvae safe over winter.

When the caterpillars hatch in the spring, they do not have far to go to find their food. Image copy write to Worldwide butterflies

So for the silver washed fritillary to survive it needs: Common dog violet Moss covered trees Aphids Brambles Thistles

This is not to mention all the species that eat the silver washed fritillary caterpillars and butterflies - Without this butterfly, there would be one less food source for lots of native birds. Can you think what might happen if any of these links were removed? Losing one animal or plant from the planet upsets the balance in nature, and we do not fully understand the consequences.

Why is biodiversity under threat? Habitat loss Pollution Population increase Over use – collecting from the wild Fishing boat image by CC-BY-SA-2.0-DE.

What can we do to help at school and at home? Create micro habitats, such as log piles and mini ponds Seed a wild flower patch, or even let a patch of ground just grow Don’t pull up so many of the ‘weeds’ they are really good for native biodiversity Plant a tree Put up a bird or bat box

What else can we do to help? Re-use, reduce, recycle! Switch lights off when you leave a room Use both sides of paper Do not drop litter