Biodiversity and threats — A/L Biology

A. Biodiversity and Its Components Definition: Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms at all levels of biological organization, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity. Explanation: Biodiversity encompasses three main components: genetic diversity (variation within species), species diversity (variety of species in an area), and ecosystem diversity (variety of habitats and ecological processes). Genetic diversity includes differences in DNA sequences among individuals of the same species, which allows populations to adapt to environmental changes. Species diversity considers both species richness (number of species) and species evenness (relative abundance). Ecosystem diversity includes different habitats, communities, and ecological processes that occur in various environments. Together, these components create the complex web of life that sustains ecological balance and provides essential services to humanity.