A4.2:  Conservation of Biodiversity

Guiding Questions:  
Guiding questions help students view the content of the syllabus through the conceptual lenses of both the themes and the levels of biological organization.

• What factors are causing the sixth mass extinction of species? 
• How can conservationists minimize the loss of biodiversity? 

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​Linking Questions:  
Linking questions strengthen students’ understanding by making connections between topics.  The ideal outcome of the linking questions is networked knowledge.

• In what ways is diversity a property of life at all levels of biological organization?
• How does variation contribute to the stability of ecological communities?

Resources:

• At SHS, Topic A4.2 is taught in the Conservation of Biodiversity unit. 
• Quizlet study set for this topic.  Coming soon!
• View the general sequence of the SHS course
• View the SHS units mapped to the IB Biology curriculum roadmap

A4.2.1— Biodiversity as the variety of life in all its forms, levels and combinations.

• Define biodiversity.
• Outline how biodiversity is quantified at different levels of biological organization.​

A4.2.2— Comparisons between current number of species on Earth and past levels of biodiversity.

• Compare the number of species on earth today with past levels of biodiversity.
• Define extinction.
  
• State the number of mass extinction events that have occurred on Earth.
• Outline the cause and effect of mass extinctions that have occurred on Earth.

A4.2.3— Causes of anthropogenic species extinction.

• Define anthropogenic.
• Outline anthropogenic causes of species extinction. 
• Outline the extinction of the Moas.
• Outline the extinction of the Caribbean monk seal.
• Outline the extinction of a local species.

A4.2.4— Causes of ecosystem loss. 

• List direct and indirect anthropogenic causes of ecosystem loss. 
• Outline the cause of the loss of mixed dipterocarp forest ecosystem in Southeast Asia. 
• Outline the cause of the loss of temperate rainforest ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ​

A4.2.5— Evidence for a biodiversity crisis.

• List the types of evidence that can be monitored to assess the status of a biodiversity crisis.
• Explain the use of species richness and evenness measures in the tracking of biodiversity over time.
• State the role of “citizen scientists” in monitoring a biodiversity crisis.​

A4.2.6- Causes of the current biodiversity crisis.

• Discuss the impact of human population growth on the causes of the current biodiversity crisis.

A4.2.7—  Need for several approaches to conservation of biodiversity.

• Compare in situ to ex situ approaches to conservation.
• Outline the advantages of an in situ approach to conservation.
• Define “rewilding.”
• List examples of ex situ conservation programs.

A4.2.8—  Selection of evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species for conservation prioritization in the EDGE of Existence programme.

• Outline the rationale used for conservation by the EDGE of Existence programme.