Figure 2: Humans both damage and protect biodiversity — the balance determines whether species survive.
| Negative Impact | Positive Response / Conservation |
|---|---|
| Deforestation destroys habitats | Reforestation — planting trees to restore forest habitats |
| Hunting and habitat loss threaten animal species | Captive breeding programmes for endangered species |
| Rare habitats built over or farmed | Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), national parks, nature reserves |
| Intensive farming removes field boundaries | Hedgerow restoration and field margin schemes |
| Plant species threatened by habitat change | Seed banks — frozen collections of seeds for future use |
| Waste pollutes land and water | Recycling programmes reduce landfill and pollution |
This comparison covers Negative vs Positive Human Impacts on Biodiversity within Biodiversity and Human Impacts for GCSE Biology. Topic 5: Biodiversity and Human Impacts on Ecosystems It is section 8 of 16 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Biodiversity and Human Impacts
What is the best definition of biodiversity?
Explain why deforestation leads to a reduction in biodiversity.
Quick recall flashcards
What is eutrophication and what causes it?
Eutrophication is when excess nutrients (from fertiliser or sewage run-off) enter water.
This causes rapid algae growth, blocking sunlight to underwater plants.
When algae die and decompose, oxygen is used up, killing aquatic organisms.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of all different species of organisms on Earth, or within a particular ecosystem.
Includes the range of different habitats and genetic variation within species.