Habitat destruction
Vocabulary
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| habitats | 栖息地 | qī xī dì |
| habitat destruction | 栖息地破坏 | qī xī dì pò huài |
| biodiversity | 生物多样性 | shēng wù duō yàng xìng |
| deforestation | 森林砍伐 | sēn lín kǎn fá |
| soil erosion | 土壤侵蚀 | tǔ rǎng qīn shí |
| extinct | 灭绝的 | miè jué de |
Losing the living world
- As humans take more land for farms, cities and roads, wild habitats 栖息地 disappear.
- This habitat destruction 栖息地破坏 is a major threat to biodiversity 生物多样性.
Explore
Habitat destruction chain
See how removing habitat causes a chain of ecological effects.
Practice
Deforestation is the:
Deforestation removes forests.
Practice
Habitat destruction reduces:
It reduces the variety of living things.
What is lost
- Deforestation 森林砍伐 clears forests for timber, farming and building.
- It destroys habitats, reduces biodiversity, and threatens species with extinction.
Clearing forest destroys habitats and reduces biodiversity
Practice
Which are effects of deforestation? (Select all that apply.)
Deforestation reduces biodiversity, not increases it.
Wider effects of deforestation
- Fewer trees means less photosynthesis, so more carbon dioxide stays in the air.
- It also causes soil erosion 土壤侵蚀 and disturbs the water cycle.
Practice
Once a species is extinct, it cannot be brought back.
Extinction is permanent.
Practice
The variety of different species in an area is called ______.
High biodiversity keeps ecosystems stable.
Why habitats matter
- Biodiversity keeps ecosystems stable and provides food, medicines and resources.
- Once a species is extinct 灭绝的, it is gone forever.
Watch out
Extinction is permanent. Habitat destruction can wipe out species we depend on — for food, medicine or a stable ecosystem — and unlike a damaged habitat, an extinct species can never be brought back.
You've got it
Key idea
- habitat destruction (e.g. deforestation) reduces biodiversity and causes extinction
- it lowers photosynthesis (more CO₂), erodes soil, and disturbs the water cycle
- biodiversity keeps ecosystems stable; extinction is permanent