How can i give an 8 yr old child a definition of biodiversity so they can understand it?

Question

How can i give an 8 yr old child a definition of biodiversity so they can understand it?

Answer 1

huh?????

just dnt.!

i dnt even knw what that meansss

Answer 2

The word “biodiversity” was first used at a conference at the Smithsonian Institute in September 1986, and reported in the November 1986 edition of Smithsonian Magazine. The idea of biodiversity was understood much earlier by some ecologists, but it began to spread widely as a result of the conference.

Since then, it has been increasingly used and books have been written on the subject.

So, what is the idea of biodiversity?

“Biodiversity” obviously refers to plants, animals and microbes, from bacteria to fungi, that collectively make up living systems—ecosystems. What are not so obvious are other meanings that have become attached to the word. It also refers to different populations of species, with their unique sets of genes and gene products.

Even more importantly, it includes the collective ecological services provided by those different species and populations working together for each other, keeping our planet healthy and suitable for life. Baskin describes the relationship this way: “It is the lavish array of organisms that we call ‘biodiversity,’ an intricately linked web of living things whose activities work in concert to make the earth a uniquely habitable planet.”

If I tried to completely list all ecological services, I would undoubtedly fail and besides, it would be tedious for you. But a few examples may be helpful. We know plants and animals maintain relatively constant atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen through photosynthesis and respiration. Many decomposers keep soil fertile. Biodiversity services purify water, detoxify toxins, moderate climate, and pollinate flowers. All organisms provide habitats and niches for other creatures.

Some ecological relationships are so necessary that involved organisms could not survive without them. An example of this is the mutually beneficial relationship between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. As many as 90 percent of plant species interact with either generalized fungi that can service a variety of plants, or with others that are highly selective in the plants with which they interact.

Regardless, these fungi enable plants to obtain nutrients that would otherwise not be sufficiently available. Plants in turn provide carbohydrates for their fungi.

Several experiments have been made to examine biodiversity. Evidently highly biodiverse communities are more stable, more productive, have higher soil fertility and are generally better off. Under stress, however, individual species populations may noticeably vary in size but, fortunately, redundant services appear to cover for immediate lacks. Nevertheless, when we look at the broad picture, higher diversity communities are more productive and more able to recover from stress.

As we look at the broad picture of biodiversity, it is clear that just as a body depends upon division of labor among cells, so an ecosystem depends upon division of labor provided by biodiversity. Just as there are important metabolic pathways in cells, so there are “ecochemical” pathways in ecosystems. The nitrogen cycle, among many possibilities, is an example of this. Different organisms, with different enzyme systems, are essential links in these ecochemical pathways.

In 8 year old language:  A meter to tell how healthy a life form is.

Answer 3

The number of living things or species in a certain area????

Answer 4

uhmmm... tell that its all about animal and plants then tell them a short childish story bout it...

are u a teacher?????/?????/

Answer 5

it means all the different people, animals and species that live in the same place or world

Answer 6

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the immense variety and richness of life on Earth. Biodiversity includes:

the diversity of genes within all living organisms.



the diversity of species. For example, morel, corn, rainbow trout, praying mantis and humans are all different species.



the diversity of ecosystems (coral reefs, prairies, forests, wetlands, etc

Answer 7

bio is short for biology which is the study of life

Diversity is just a word that describes differences within an undefined population.

Simply, you could tell the child that biodiversity is the word we use to describe all of the different kinds of life on our world.  That's the way I would describe it to my 4 year old.

Answer 8

Here's a very informative website that helps teach kids what biodiversity means:

http://www.biodiversity.wa.gov/education...