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Year 11
AQA
Foundation

Benefits and challenges of maintaining biodiversity

I can describe benefits of maintaining biodiversity, and ways in which humans can work to conserve biodiversity.

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New
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Year 11
AQA
Foundation

Benefits and challenges of maintaining biodiversity

I can describe benefits of maintaining biodiversity, and ways in which humans can work to conserve biodiversity.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Benefits of high biodiversity, including ecosystem services and food security.
  2. Humans can interact positively with ecosystems to prevent and reduce biodiversity loss.
  3. Resources can be used sustainably (e.g. at a rate at which they can be replaced).
  4. A range of conservation measures can be taken to protect biodiversity at the species, ecosystem and genetic levels.
  5. Conservation efforts range from very local actions to international ones.

Keywords

  • Biodiversity - the range of different living organisms that live in a place

  • Ecosystem services - the benefits that nature provides to human wellbeing and quality of life

  • Food security - having enough food to feed the human population

  • Sustainability - when a resource is produced as quickly as it is removed from the environment so that it does not run out

  • Conservation - the process of protecting biodiversity and the environment

Common misconception

The conservation of biodiversity can only happen on a large scale, e.g. through protecting large areas of habitat.

Biodiversity conservation can take place on a small scale, for example, by providing habitats in gardens and in urban areas.


To help you plan your year 11 biology lesson on: Benefits and challenges of maintaining biodiversity, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are lots of examples of conservation in action that pupils can research as an independent project. Lots of zoos also provide information about how they contribute to conservation projects as part of their work. Examples can include ecosystem, species and genetic conservation efforts.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following factors does not affect the rate of decomposition within an ecosystem?
Correct answer: light intensity
availability of oxygen
increase in temperature
availability of moisture within the ecosystem
Q2.
Many habitats such as peat bogs are being destroyed. It is important to stop habitat destruction to maintain...
photosynthesis.
respiration.
homeostasis.
Correct answer: biodiversity.
Q3.
Which definition below explains what a community is?
Two or more species in a habitat.
Correct answer: The interactions between populations of different species in a habitat.
The number of individuals of one species in a habitat.
The number of populations within a habitat.
Q4.
How does human land use for building new homes and roads reduce biodiversity levels?
All habitats are destroyed and species become extinct.
New habitats are created that attract many more new species.
Correct answer: Some habitats are destroyed and species can no longer live there.
All of the animals have to learn to eat new species.
Q5.
How does deforestation impact climate change?
More oxygen is released into the atmosphere by photosynthesising plants.
Correct answer: Clearing forests by burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Correct answer: Less plants take in less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis.
Deforestation releases nitrogen in the atmosphere when trees are burned.
Q6.
How do fish farmers help to ensure that fish grow quickly so that they can sell them as food for the population?
Correct answer: They restrict their movement.
Correct answer: They provide them with food that helps them grow quickly.
They replicate conditions in their natural environment.
They give them the food that they would get in the wild.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Ecosystem services are how nature helps humans to...
Correct answer: improve their wellbeing.
clean up chemical pollutants.
Correct answer: have a better quality of life.
clean up litter.
forecast the weather.
Q2.
What does high biodiversity mean?
A small number of different species within an ecosystem.
A large number of individuals within an ecosystem.
A small number of individuals within an ecosystem.
Correct answer: A high number of different species within an ecosystem.
Q3.
What term is used to describe how organisms of different species rely on each other?
independence
Correct answer: interdependence
intradependence
dependence
Q4.
The ability for a resource to be maintained at the same rate that it is used up is known as...
Correct Answer: sustainability, sustainable
Q5.
Food security is about having...
an excess of food (which is stored) to feed the human population.
not enough food to feed the human population.
enough food to feed all organisms within an ecosystem.
Correct answer: enough food to feed the human population.
Q6.
Genetic biodiversity can be conserved using which of the following?
Correct answer: seed banks
Correct answer: gene banks
diversity banks
animal banks