Biodiversity Basics Worksheet
Life Science Discovery Independent or Partner Work
Biodiversity Basics
Explore what biodiversity means and discover why living things are so different.
Name:
Date:
Partner:
Word Detective: BIO (means life) + DIVERSITY (means variety or differences).
Biodiversity is the total variety of all living things—including plants, animals, fungi, and microscopic organisms—living in a habitat or across our entire planet.
1
What Does It Mean?
A. In your own words, explain what biodiversity is:
B. Which habitat has higher biodiversity? Check one:
A cornfield: 10,000 corn plants, 2 types of weeds, and crows.
A tropical forest: 250 species of trees, 40 bird species, monkeys, frogs, and thousands of insects.
Hint: Look at the number of different kinds of living things!
2
Why Do Living Things Vary?
Living things do not all look or act the same. Their traits vary because they must survive in very different environments.
Arctic Fox
Home: Freezing tundra
Special Trait: Thick white winter coat and small, fur-lined ears.
How does this trait help it survive?
Desert Cactus
Home: Dry, scorching desert
Special Trait: Spines instead of leaves and thick flesh to store water.
How does this trait help it survive?
Clownfish
Home: Ocean coral reef
Special Trait: Slimy mucus layer that protects it from stinging anemones.
How does this trait help it survive?
3
Think Deeply: Why Variety Keeps Nature Safe
The Tree Mystery: Imagine Forest A has only one single type of tree. Forest B has twenty different types of trees. A new invasive beetle arrives that quickly kills that specific tree.
What happens to Forest A?
Why does Forest B survive better?
Partner Check & Share: Discuss Question 3 together. Check the box when complete:
We discussed and agreed!
