Biodiversity education resource for ages 4 to 7
Biodiversity: all kinds of living things
Biodiversity is all life on Earth: animals, plants, trees, even the tiniest microbes... There are millions of living things in nature, and there are plenty that we don't even know about yet. Incredible, isn't it?
The problem is that many animals and plants are in trouble. Fortunately, we can all help protect our beautiful planet and everything living on it!
Get more in-depth information about biodiversity at all three levels- genetic, species and ecosystem.
What is biodiversity?
Look around you! Do you see any plants? Birds? Insects? Maybe even a squirrel climbing a tree? All of these things are biodiversity. There are lots of different life forms all over our planet: in the forests, in the rivers, in the sea, and even underground! And guess what? In your stomach too! There are billions of little living things, invisible to the naked eye, that help you break down the food you eat.
Figure 1 - Biodiversity: variety of life on earth
Long description
The title says, “Biodiversity: Variety of Life on Earth.” An illustration showing many different animals living on land and in water, with trees, plants, and clouds.
All living things are different
All living things are unique. Look at humans: we all have different faces! It's the same for dogs: each individual has it’s own personal features that distinguish it from others.
It is important that every animal or plant has differences. Why? Because it helps them to be strong. For example, when it is really cold, some turtles can die. But others are less sensitive to the cold and can withstand freezing temperatures. Because the turtles are all a little different, some can survive the winter. That helps the whole group keep going!
Nature helps us a lot
Every animal and plant is special just the way it is. When we take care of nature, we make sure that all living things have a home. This makes the world a better place for everyone – even us! We need all these different living things – each little plant or animal, even the bugs! – has an important job to do in nature. The more different types of living things there are, the healthier nature will be!
Nature provides us with lots of useful services. And what's more... it's free!
- it gives us food: fruit, vegetables, fish, and much more
- it gives us materials: wood for building houses, cotton for making clothes
- it heals us: many medicines come from plants
- it cleans for us: trees and marshes clean the air and water
- it makes us happy: walking in nature is good for our mood
Figure 2 - Examples of the importance of bodiversity
Long description
A circular infographic listing key reasons why biodiversity is important. The title reads “Examples of the Importance of Biodiversity.” It includes icons and labels for each benefit: culture and identity, fresh air, clean water, food, medicine, raw materials, flood control, pollination, and mental health.
Nature does a lot for us... but do we do enough to protect it?
We take up a lot of space
To live, we need houses, roads, fields to grow food and water to drink. Unfortunately, to have all this, we often cut down forests and destroy places where plants and animals live. On top of that, we hunt and fish a lot, sometimes too much. The result? There is less space for different plants and animals to live, and some are disappearing.
Imagine a forest full of birds, squirrels and rabbits. If we cut down all the trees to make a road, where will they go? Some animals may find another place, but others will not.
Figure 3 - The forest is fragmented by the road
Long description
An illustration showing a road cutting through a forest, separating trees and several animals including a fox, bear, moose, and wolf. The text says, “The forest is fragmented by the road.”
We pollute
Many of the things we do pollute the air, water and soil. Cars and factories send gases into the air. Waste and chemicals that are bad for our health sometimes end up in rivers or damaging the soil. They can also make plants, animals, and even humans, sick.
When a place is polluted, it is hard to live there. If you were a fish, would you like to live in a lake full of waste? And if you were a flower trying to grow in soil full of toxic products... you wouldn't be able to do it.
The climate is changing
The weather is not the same as it used to be. It is warmer, there is less snow in some places and more severe storms. In some areas they don’t have enough water. All these changes in climate are difficult for many animals and plants. They are finding it harder to find food and water. Some manage to move to wetter or cooler places. But many do not.
Newcomers who are not welcome
Sometimes, without meaning to, we bring plants or animals to a place where they did not live before. Since they have no predators, they take up all the space! And the living things that were there before may lack space or food and become sick.
In Canada, a small insect from Asia, the emerald ash borer, is making tiny holes in trees and causing them to die. Imagine a worm nibbling away at the inside of an apple until it rots... it's the same for these trees!
Figure 4 - Emerald ash borer
Long description
Emerald ash borer
Living things are disappearing
Many living things have already disappeared because of humans. And today, several are in danger, like the right whale and the caribou. When an animal or plant disappears, it's forever. It's sad and it can change many things.
For example, if wolves disappear from a place, the deer population goes up because there are no more wolves to hunt them. All these deer then eat a lot of the plants. This could mean that there won’t be enough food for everyone.
On top of that, if species that are useful to us disappear, it can cause us big problems. Bees carry pollen and help fruit and vegetables grow. If there are less bees, we might have a harder time growing food.
How can we help nature
Even with all the bad news, we are doing lots of things to help animals and plants, such as creating special parks where they are protected. In these important parks, usually they won’t allow things like hunting, picking plants, building houses or roads to protect the plants and animals that live there. In some parts of the world, they are trying to reduce pollution and replant the trees that are cut down.
And it works! Thanks to these actions, many living beings that were in danger are now safe.
See how you can protect biodiversity at home!
- plant the right flowers to feed the bees and butterflies
- protect the trees by avoiding breaking their branches or damaging their bark
- if you see wild animals, be very careful not to disturb them or feed them
- when you go out to play, remember to put your garbage in the bin – and if you see litter, ask a grown-up to help clean it up. Nature will be cleaner, and the animals won't risk eating the garbage by mistake
Figure 5 - What to do when you are done with it
Long description
The title reads, “What Can We Do?” An illustration with beavers showing ways to help nature: share, repurpose, protect birds, compost, clean up nature, and recycle. Each action is shown with a beaver doing the activity.
And, above all, open your eyes wide and take a good look around you. You will see that there are animals and plants everywhere, and that it is all truly wonderful!
Get ideas on how to challenge yourself to protect nature.