What is biodiversity?
We don’t know exactly howmany
species
, or living things with similar
characteristics, there are on our planet. Up to now, scientists have
discovered more than two million di erent species, but there are
still many more to discover.
This enormous variety of living things is called
biodiversity
.
For example, some living things, such as bacteria, are microsopic:
we need a microscope to see them. Others, such as whales and
trees, are huge.
Our planet has unique qualities that are essential for life as we
know it. First of all, it has lots of water in its oceans, seas, lakes
and rivers. Second, its atmosphere contains gases, such as oxygen
and carbon dioxide, that living things breathe. The Sun is important
too, because it provides the light and heat that living things need.
5
The Earth is ideal for life
because it has light,
water and air.
b
c
a
