You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 3 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life at all levels — from genetic diversity within species, to species diversity within habitats, to ecosystem diversity across landscapes. Classification provides a systematic framework for organising and understanding this diversity. This topic is central to A-Level Biology, connecting ecology, evolution, and conservation in a way that underpins much of the specification.
Key Definition: Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms in an area, encompassing genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Biodiversity can be considered at three levels:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic diversity | Variation in alleles within a species | Different alleles for coat colour in mice; different haemoglobin alleles in humans |
| Species diversity | Number and abundance of different species in a community | Tropical rainforests have high species diversity; a monoculture field has low species diversity |
| Ecosystem diversity | Range of different habitats and communities in an area | A region containing woodland, wetland, heathland, and grassland |
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 3 lessons in this course.