Biodiversity The variety of plants and animals that live in a habitat at a particular time. Biodiversity provide us with medicines, food, clean water and air, and important services our healthy planet depends on.

When a habitat is no longer fit for its organisms. Habitat Destruction When a habitat is no longer fit for its organisms. Examples of Habitat Destruction include: Cutting down trees in a tropical rain forests A fire that burns up a prairie A river that is polluted and can no longer support life

Non-native species that have a harmful effect on a habitat. Invasive Species Non-native species that have a harmful effect on a habitat. Illinois has been working hard to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan. Officials are afraid that Asian carp would change the existing food webs in the lake and kill the native organisms.

Examples of pollution: Chemicals dumped into water by factories Something introduced into the environment that is dirty, unclean or has a harmful effect. Examples of pollution: Chemicals dumped into water by factories Car exhausts that make the air dirty. Factories that burn coal, oil or gas

Human Population Growth When the number of people increase Sometimes humans take the space that animals or plants used to live in.

Killing too many of a species. Overexploitation Killing too many of a species. When too many members of a species dies, that species becomes in danger of extinction.

Ecological Footprint The amount of the environment necessary to produce the goods and services necessary to support a particular lifestyle. Your ecological footprint includes: Your transportation choices The amount you recycle The kind of food you eat Where and how you live