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Biodiversity Basics, World Wildlife Fund (1999)
Part I: The Conceptual Framework
What Is Biodiversity?
The concepts in this theme provide students with a fundamental knowledge and appreciation of biodiversity. These concepts also help students understand the characteristics of living systems and the fact that the environment is made up of systems nested within larger systems.
- Definition of Biodiversity
- Basic Ecological Principles
- Key Ecological Definitions that Help to Understand Biodiversity
Why Is Biodiversity Important?
Concepts in this section can help students investigate how biodiversity affects their lives and supports life on Earth. Recognizing the importance of biodiversity increases students' awareness of why and how people's actions affect biodiversity and why it's important to maintain and restore biodiversity.
- Quality of the Environment
- Quality of Life (Economics, Health and Safety, Socio/Political, Culture)
What Is the Status of Biodiversity?
Concepts in this theme help students understand the status of biodiversity and why biodiversity is declining around the world. By learning about the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, students will be able to participate in maintaining biodiversity in the future.
- Factors Affecting Biodiversity (Population Growth, Loss, Degradation, and Fragmentation of Habitat, Introduced Species, Over-Consumption of Natural Resources, Pollution)
How Can We Protect Biodiversity?
Concepts in this section help students identify ways to ensure that adequate biodiversity will be maintained for future generations. For students to willingly and effectively take action to protect biodiversity, they must have a thorough understanding and appreciation of what biodiversity is, why it's important, why we're losing it, and what people can do to help maintain and conserve it. Students should also begin to understand that ecological integrity, social equity, and economic prosperity are connected and are important components of a sustainable society.
- Studying Biodiversity
- Conserving Biodiversity (Role of Values, Role of Civil Society, Government, and Industry, Future Outlooks for Maintaining and Restoring Biodiversity)
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