Explain the benefits of maintaining local and global biodiversity,…

The idea

Biodiversity is the variety of species and habitats in an area. Maintaining it locally and globally brings benefits: stable ecosystems resist change and recover from disturbance; many medicines and foods come from wild species; pollination and nutrient cycling support agriculture; and diverse habitats support tourism and human wellbeing. Conserving animal species protects these roles and keeps gene pools varied, which helps populations adapt to change. Reforestation, planting trees on cleared land, raises biodiversity by providing habitats and food, stabilises soil, reduces flooding and absorbs carbon dioxide, though it must use suitable native species to succeed. A multiple-choice question will ask you to select the correct benefit or consequence, so read each option and reject those that confuse cause and effect or overstate a single benefit.

What earns the marks

• Identifies that maintaining biodiversity supports stable, resilient ecosystems that can resist and recover from change.
• Recognises that wild species provide resources such as medicines, foods and raw materials, and that conserving animal species protects these.
• Explains that conserving animal species maintains varied gene pools, helping populations adapt to environmental change.
• Recognises that reforestation provides habitats and food, raising biodiversity, and can stabilise soil, reduce flooding and absorb carbon dioxide.
• Rejects options that overstate a single benefit or reverse cause and effect, such as claiming reforestation always increases every species.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Choosing an option that says reforestation has no effect on biodiversity.

  Put it right: Planting trees provides habitats and food and can raise biodiversity.

• Confusing the benefit of conserving species with simply 'keeping animals in zoos'.

  Put it right: Conservation protects species, their roles in ecosystems and genetic variety.

• Selecting an option that reverses cause and effect, such as claiming biodiversity loss causes stable ecosystems.

  Put it right: Maintaining biodiversity supports stability and resilience.

Exam tips

• Read every option and eliminate those that reverse cause and effect or overstate a single benefit.
• Link each option back to a named benefit: ecosystem stability, resources such as medicines, genetic variety, or reforestation effects.
• Check that the chosen option matches the exact wording of the question, whether it asks about local or global biodiversity.