≡Biodiversity: Do you really know the richness of life on the planet?
Far beyond the species we see, there is a balance between ecosystems and living beings that sustains everything around us. But understanding concepts is not the same as understanding their importance.
Why test your knowledge?
Testing your knowledge improves memory, quick thinking, and the ability to make associations, as well as being a fun way to learn while competing with other people.
Planet Earth
Earth is a unique and extraordinary planet, being the common home of all species, where we still enjoy the best conditions of comfort, sustenance and protection for life. However, it was not always like this. The planet we know today is the result of a complex process of transformations that began about 4.6 billion years ago. With the advancement of science and technology, human intelligence has made our species the most dominant, capable of influencing natural processes, consuming large amounts of resources and, thus, shaping the future of the planet. Now, we have the responsibility to ensure the survival of all the species that share the Earth with us.
Multicellular beings
In multicellular organisms , cells have developed specialized tasks and are grouped together in tissues. This is the case of cardiac muscle tissue, which is responsible for the contraction of the heart. Tissues, in turn, are organized into organs. The heart, formed by different tissues, is an organ. Different organs, which work in a coordinated manner towards the same objective, constitute an organ system. The heart is part of the circulatory system. Finally, different organ systems are organized into an organism. A mammal, such as a wolf, is an organism.
You can still go deeper with those who are experts in the subject: Mais Ciências
Discover some interesting facts about Biodiversity
The Interconnection of Ecosystems
Biosphere – Set of Earth's ecosystems.
Ecosystems – System formed by the community and its physical-chemical environment, including all relationships between living beings and between these and the environment.
Community – Set of different populations, in interaction with each other, that occupy a given geographic area.
Population – Set of individuals of the same species that live in a given place and for a given period of time.
Individual – Living being of a given species, with characteristics similar to the other individuals in the population, capable of interbreeding with other individuals and producing fertile offspring.
Biological organization of living beings.
The cell is the basic unit of structure and functioning of a living being, that is, it corresponds to the simplest level of biological organization that we can call life. But the cell itself has other levels of organization – the organelles or cellular structures – such as mitochondria, which are formed by molecules, such as lipids and proteins, which are made up of atoms, such as carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.
Relationships between Individuals and Ecosystem
In nature, a wolf is an individual and cannot live in isolation. It must establish relationships with other individuals of its species, for hunting and reproduction, for example, by forming part of a wolf population. This population interacts with populations of other species, for example when they fight over territory or feed on prey, such as rabbits or deer. All these populations interacting with each other form a community. The set of communities in a given geographical area, interacting with each other and with their physical and chemical environment, constitute an ecosystem. Finally, all of the planet's ecosystems form the biosphere.
Insects in abundance
The insects are now, for a long time, the most diverse animals on the planet, with more than a thousand species cataloged and estimated, suggesting that the real number may exceed 10 thousand. They represent approximately 80% of all known animal species, which means that for each human being, there are hundreds of thousands of insects all over the world. Its diversity is impressive, from small forms and flies to colorful bubbles and majestic dragonflies.
The reason for this diversity is due to various factors, including the exceptional adaptation of insects to all of Earth's environments, from tropical forests to the most arid deserts. Also, its ability to evolve quickly, its small size and its short life cycles favor abundant multiplication.
Insects play essential roles in the ecosystem, as pollinators, decomposers and even as a food source for many other species. Let us be fools, life on Earth as we know it would be deeply affected. However, many insects are still poorly studied, and continuous research is crucial to better understand their functions and importance in the maintenance of global biodiversity.
The giant sequoias are the most imposing and ancient trees on the planet
The giant sequoias are the most imposing and ancient trees on the planet. They belong to the species Sequoiadendron giganteum and are known for their colossal size. We can reach heights greater than 90 meters and trunk diameters of 8 meters, making the largest trees in the volume of wood. The most famous, called "General Sherman", located in Sequoia National Park, in California, is considered the largest tree in the world in terms of volume, with about 1,200 cubic meters of wood.
What makes these trees even more impressive is their longevity. Giant sequoias can live for more than 3,000 years, which means that some of them will experience major transformations on the planet over millennia. This extraordinary life span is made possible by its incredible resistance to damage, fire and parasite attacks.
In addition to their grandeur, sequoias play a vital role in the ecosystem, providing shelter and food for various species of fauna and helping to absorb carbon, and contributing to the mitigation of climate changes. Their size, longevity and ecological importance make the giant sequoias a true natural treasure of the Earth.
HOME