Biodiversity is the measurement of the number of different kinds of plants and animals that live in an area. Different areas on Earth have different plants and animals.
To better understand diversity of life on Earth…
LET’S BREAK IT DOWN!
The rainforest is a very diverse environment.
More than 40% of the animals and plants on Earth live in the rainforest. The rainforest gets lots of rain, which helps plants grow. Many animals eat these plants.
Many plants and animals live in the desert.
Deserts are homes to foxes, snakes, birds and lizards. Plants like a cactus can grow in the desert too. Many animals are hard to see there because they hide underground.
A pond is home to many different plants and animals.
Fish, birds, frogs and bugs are just a few of the different kinds of plants and animals found near a pond. Many of these animals need to be in water to live, like a frog or a fish.
Even your backyard is a diverse environment.
At night, many animals move around our neighborhoods. Some are scavengers, who look for food anywhere they can find it. These animals include raccoons, skunks and mice.
Scientists study the biodiversity of life in certain areas.
Scientists count the number of plants and animals in an area to see if that environment is healthy. If the number of living things goes down, scientists can investigate to find out why.