Biodiversity Loss & Ecosystem Services — GCSE Geography Revision

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What is Biodiversity Loss & Ecosystem Services?

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth, from genes and species to entire ecosystems. Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans receive from these ecosystems, such as clean air and water, pollination of crops, and regulation of climate. Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate due to human activities like deforestation, pollution, and climate change, which threatens the vital services that nature provides.

Board notes: Biodiversity loss is a critical environmental issue that links to many topics, especially ecosystems and climate change, across all boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). Understanding the concept of ecosystem services is important for explaining why biodiversity matters to people.

Worked example

Common mistakes

• 1Thinking that biodiversity is just about the number of species. It also includes genetic diversity within species and the diversity of different ecosystems. Genetic diversity is important for a species' ability to adapt to change.
• 2Failing to see the economic value of ecosystems. Ecosystem services have a huge, often unrecognised, economic value. For example, the pollination of crops by bees has been valued at billions of pounds globally. The loss of these services has real economic costs.
• 3Believing that conservation is just about protecting charismatic animals like pandas and tigers. While important, conservation must also focus on protecting entire habitats and the less glamorous but vital species (like insects and fungi) that support the whole ecosystem.

Biodiversity Loss & Ecosystem Services exam questions

Exam-style questions for Biodiversity Loss & Ecosystem Services with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a mass extinction?

  A mass extinction is when a large proportion of the world's species die out in a relatively short period of time. Scientists believe that we are currently in the middle of the sixth mass extinction, this time caused by human activities.

• What is a biodiversity hotspot?

  A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a very high level of biodiversity that is under threat from human activity. Examples include the Amazon rainforest, the coral reefs of Southeast Asia, and the fynbos region of South Africa. Conservation efforts are often focused on these areas.