Explain why biodiversity matters
Outline ecological, economic, genetic and cultural reasons for maintaining biodiversity.
A Level; Cambridge International Biology 9700, 2028–2030. Written responses are self-checked; this does not certify supervised fieldwork or practical competence.
Before you begin
- Classification compares shared characteristics; populations occupy environments and contain variation.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
How can genetic variation support future crop breeding?
What you will learn
- Give reasons for conserving genetic, species and ecosystem diversity
- Connect biodiversity to resilience and human needs
Build the explanation
Biodiversity supports ecosystem processes such as pollination, nutrient cycling and food-web interactions. It provides food, medicines, materials and genetic resources for future breeding or research. Diverse ecosystems may be more resilient to some disturbances, and biodiversity also has cultural, educational and intrinsic value.
Use evidence within scope
Do not claim that every diverse system is automatically stable or that a single species has no value if it has no known use. Explain the relevant ecological or societal reason and avoid promising that biodiversity prevents all ecosystem change.
Pause and explain
A manager argues that biodiversity is measured only by species count. Correct the statement.
Worked example
Why can genetic variation within a crop species help future food production?
Show the worked solution
- Allele variation can provide different traits.
- Breeders may use useful variation under changing conditions.
Answer Genetic variation can provide traits such as disease or drought resistance that breeders may use to improve future crop populations.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
A pollinator declines in an agricultural landscape. Give one ecosystem reason to maintain its population.
Give me a hint
Identify the required evidence and sequence the reasoning.
Compare my reasoning
- Pollination supports plant reproduction.
- Plant reproduction can support food webs or crops.
Maintaining pollinators can support reproduction in plants and the ecosystem services or food production that depend on it.
Look for these in your work
- Relevant evidence selected
- Reasoning linked to conclusion
Why can conserving a species preserve options for the future even if its current use is unknown?
Give me a hint
Use the supplied example or data to justify a conclusion.
Compare my reasoning
- Its genes or ecological role may later be valuable.
- Future uses and conditions are uncertain.
It may contain genetic resources or play an ecological role that becomes important under future conditions; uncertainty supports preserving options.
Look for these in your work
- Concept applied
- Limit or assumption stated
A manager argues that biodiversity is measured only by species count. Correct the statement.
Give me a hint
Apply the concept in a new context and qualify its limits.
Compare my reasoning
- Biodiversity has multiple levels.
- Include habitats, relative abundance and within-species variation.
Species richness is one measure, but biodiversity also includes ecosystem and habitat range, relative abundance, and genetic variation within species.
Look for these in your work
- New context handled
- Conclusion appropriately bounded
Common mistakes
- Equating biodiversity only with number of species
- Claiming conservation has no value without immediate economic benefit
What can you explain now?
How can genetic variation support future crop breeding?
Compare with the explanation
It provides a range of heritable traits
Some variation may be useful under new conditions.
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Make it stick
Name ecological and human reasons for maintaining biodiversity.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.