Science Story
Exploring Biodiversity with Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Information about this Science Story
Resources: 30
Suitable Ages: 11, 12, 13, 14
Topics: Biodiversity, Ocean, Ecosystem Services, Citizen Science
Topics: Biodiversity, Ocean, Ecosystem Services, Citizen Science
Objectives and Outcomes
- Explain what Biodiversity is.
- Identify the causes and issues and describe the consequences of biodiversity loss in the ocean, encouraging students to adopt environmentally responsible behaviours and make ethical decisions to preserve biodiversity.
- Debate, discuss, and challenge different perspectives and issues related to biodiversity.
Meet the team
The scientists/ educators behind this Science Story:
- Name: Amy Kenworthy.
- Role: Science Communicator.
- Description: Amy is a project manager and science communicator with experience in manging international projects addressing pressures on the marine environment.
- Name: Thomas Mesher.
- Role: Benthic Ecologist.
- Description: Thomas specialises in benthic invertebrate taxonomy, environmental fieldwork, and biodiversity research. Thomas has extensive and varied experience working across high-impact areas of research, including artificial light pollution, blue carbon and ocean-based carbon dioxide removal.
Background
- Increased Resilience: Biodiverse ecosystems are more resilient to change.
- Loss of one species can be compensated by another with similar traits, maintaining ecosystem function.
- Genetic Diversity: Strong populations with high genetic diversity can adapt to adverse impacts over time.
- Maintaining biodiversity is crucial, especially in the context of climate change and growing human impact. More diverse ecosystems offer better resistance and adaptability to environmental shifts.
Downloadable Science Story
This Science Story includes videos and activities that link to each other. Videos in this lesson plan provide background knowledge for the activities. We suggest watching the videos and choosing the activities that best suit your class or adapting them to suit your class.
Please check the teacher’s notes in the notes section on each slide.
Teacher's Notes
Science Story
Science Story Contents
Related Topics: Biodiversity. Ocean. Ecosystem Services. Citizen Science.
Keywords: Organisms. Sustainability. Management. Taxonomy. Research. Biodiversity. Changing Environment. Carbon. Seabed. Benthos. Food Chain. Dna. Sampling. Evolution. Critical Thinking. Genetic Diversity. Species Diversity. Ecosystem Diversity. Seabed.
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