Biodiversity: The future of the human species on Earth relies on us maintaining a good level of biodiversity. Many human activities are reducing biodiversity and only recently have measures been taken to try to stop this reduction.

The idea

Humans depend on biodiversity for food, clean water, medicines, raw materials and a stable climate. If biodiversity falls too far, ecosystems may provide fewer of these services, threatening human survival and wellbeing. Many human activities reduce biodiversity: clearing land for farming or building, pollution, overfishing, hunting, introducing invasive species and contributing to climate change. These activities destroy habitats, reduce population sizes and can drive species to extinction. Only recently have large-scale measures been introduced to slow or stop this loss, such as protected areas, breeding programmes, seed banks, recycling, reducing pollution and international agreements. These measures aim to protect species and habitats so that ecosystems, and the human species, can continue to function.

What earns the marks

• Humans rely on biodiversity for resources such as food, medicine, clean water and fertile soil.
• Human activities that reduce biodiversity include deforestation, pollution, overexploitation, urbanisation and introduction of invasive species.
• Reducing biodiversity can destabilise ecosystems and reduce the ecosystem services on which humans depend.
• Conservation measures include protected areas, legal protection, captive breeding, seed banks, habitat restoration and international agreements.
• Maintaining biodiversity is linked to the long-term survival and wellbeing of the human species.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Thinking biodiversity loss only affects wild species and not humans.

  Put it right: Humans depend on ecosystem services such as food, water and medicine.

• Believing all human activities reduce biodiversity equally.

  Put it right: Some activities have a much greater impact, and some, such as habitat restoration, can increase biodiversity.

• Assuming conservation measures are old and universal.

  Put it right: Many large-scale measures are recent and not yet applied everywhere.

Exam tips

• Name specific human activities and link each to a clear effect on biodiversity.
• Give named conservation measures and state how each protects species or habitats.
• Use the phrase ecosystem services when explaining why human survival depends on biodiversity.