community, where people gather together to pick up trash and make a habitat more hos-
pitable for its inhabitants. Some of these cleanup days are even advertised through your
school. Start an ecology club at your school, if there isn’t one already, and encourage your
friends and classmates to join.
Think about sustainable management even at the level of your own backyard, even if it is a
small yard. What does your household do with organic waste? Do you have a compost pile or
would you or your family consider starting one? What kinds of trees and shrubs are planted
in your yard? Are they native or introduced species? Drought-tolerant? Research some of
the vegetation you can plant that will attract native bird, mammal, and other species. Put
out bird feeders, especially in the winter in areas where birds may have trouble finding food,
but make sure you keep the feeders well-stocked with food. Similarly, bird baths are useful,
especially when temperatures get warm and during dry periods. Use organic or natural
pesticides and fertilizers.
Remember that in addition to all the actions you can take, even learning about biodiversity
and ecology is an important part of valuing and protecting the diversity of life. Pass on what
you learn to others.
Lesson Summary
- There are a number of causes of habitat destruction, including clearing of land, intro-
duction of invasive species, overfishing, mining, pollution, and storm damage. - Habitat destruction threatens species through pollution, eliminations of niches, avail-
ability of fewer resources, and introduction of new species. - Some habitats affected by destruction include tropical rainforests, wetlands, and coral
reefs. - Introduction of invasive species have caused harmful effects on native species, some-
times resulting in extinction - Othercausesofextinctionincludepollution,globalclimatechange,andoverpopulation.
- Biodiversity is important because it directly affects humans as well as ecosystem ben-
efits and benefits to other species. - Economically, biodiversity diversifies our food supply; increases resources for cloth-
ing, shelter, and energy, and medicines; inspires new technologies; supplies models for
medical research and an early warning system for toxicity. - Because of the importance of biodiversity and habitats, it is vital to do what we
can do as citizens to protect habitats; these include continued protection in national
parks, reserves, and other green areas; creation of new areas; communicating with
representatives about these issues; volunteering with local organizations which have
these goals in mind; and practicing sustainable practices, even at the level of your
own backyard! Most importantly, educate others about the importance of habitat
protection.