Loss of one species affects others
Species depend on one another.
A flower and its visitor
Animals pollinate flowers. Plants produce food and oxygen. Microorganisms recycle nutrients.
If one species disappears from a place, what might happen to others?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Each species plays a role in nature, so when one species disappears, others that depend on it may also decline in number and eventually disappear.
A flower and its visitor
Animals pollinate flowers. Plants produce food and oxygen. Microorganisms recycle nutrients.
If one species disappears from a place, what might happen to others?
- Others that depend on it may decline and disappear too
- Nothing happens to others
- All others become more numerous
A chain breaks
Press Next step. The picture is only an example.
Everything is linked
Because each species has a role, losing one can affect others that depend on it. The book names pollution, deforestation, overuse of resources and climate change as human activities reducing biodiversity.
Each species plays a role in nature, so when one species disappears, others that depend on it may also decline in number and eventually disappear.
Notes
When one species disappears, others that depend on it may also decline and eventually disappear.
Check yourself
What can happen when one species disappears?
Which of these is given as a human activity reducing biodiversity?
What is the role of microorganisms, according to the book?
Why can the loss of one species lead to the loss of others?
- Nothing changes for other species. Each species plays an important role, so others that depend on it may decline.
- Others that depend on it may decline and eventually disappear — correct. Yes!
- Other species surely increase in number. The book says others that depend on it may decline in number.
- Pollination. Pollination by animals is a role in nature, not a threat.
- Recycling of nutrients by microorganisms. This is an important role of microorganisms, not a human activity that reduces biodiversity.
- Deforestation — correct. Yes!
- They recycle nutrients — correct. Yes!
- They pollinate flowers. Animals pollinate flowers and disperse seeds.
- They produce food and oxygen. Plants produce food and oxygen.
- Every species is the same. Each species plays its own important role.
- Other species depend on it — correct. Yes!
- Species cannot live in the same place. The book says species depend on each other in nature.