Living things II. Biodiversity.

The term “biodiversity” refers to the variety of life forms in a habitat, whether it’s a local environment or an entire planet. Most of the species making up our planetary biodiversity are still poorly studied or completely unknown.

Check the presentation about biodiversity on Earth. Do you think it has been always the same?

Biodiversity on Earth from irenebyg

Why is biodiversity son important? Why should we care about a single species? We have many more left... Well, this video explains causes and consequences of bees extinction.




All organisms on Earth: biodiversity.

Think about a bacterium and a frog. They don't resemble each other, but both are living things. Remember: all organisms share three characteristics:

• 1. We carry out 3 vital functions.

• 2. We are made up of the same chemical substances.

• 3. We are made up of cells.

But, as we said, there are other many differences between them too.

As we are many species on Earth, humans have classify all organisms in groups, from the "biggest" one (the biggest one you are studying) KINGDOM, to the smallest one SPECIES.

Today we are learning some characteristics of living things, and how we classify them.

TAXONOMIC SYSTEM

What are the main taxonomic groups?
Use Wikipedia to find out what taxonomy is.

--> KINGDOM
-->
-->
-->
-->
-->
--> SPECIES

Write an example from Animal kingdom to Homo sapiens species.

What do we use to include organisms in one group or other?

The Earth's features.

INTRODUCTION

Our planet is really special. It is the only known planet which contains life. Today we are learning why the Earth is such an amazing planet.

TASK

Some links are given. You have to explore them in order to learn our planet's characteristics, and also to do the exercises in your sheet.



WHAT ARE THE SPHERES?

The Earth's spheres

Complete the sentences.
a. The Earth is made up of four interrelated parts or _____________.
b. The spheres in this complex system are called: _______________, _______________, _______________, and _________________.

Write two examples of each sphere.

SPHERES	Example 1	Example 2
...	...	...
...	...	...
...	...	...
...	...	...

UNDER YOUR FEET.

The Earth's interior
1. Label this picture of the Earth’s structure.


2. True or false? Say why if false.
a. The geosphere is divided in three main layers.
b. Inner core is liquid.
c. Crust moving plates are in the astenosphere.


SOMETHING IS IN THE AIR

Composition of the atmosphere

Answer these questions.
a. What is the atmosphere composition?
b. How is oxygen produced?

The Greenhouse Effect

SOURCES
http://imperiodelaciencia.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/photograph10_fs.jpg
http://usmanscience.com/exams/10science/chapter-12-hw_files/image001.gif
http://www.aeronomie.be/multimedia/images/research/earthsystem-creditsbristoluniversity.jpg
Essential Natural Science 1. Santillana.
https://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0103/es0103page02.cfm
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure.html
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0042-composition-of-the-atmosphere.php
http://www.geo.txstate.edu/lovell/contentParagraph/04/content_files/file/Earthrise-3895-cropped.jpg

LITHOSPHERIC PLATES
The lithosphere is not a continuous layer, it is fragmented into pieces called lithospheric plates, or tectonic plates. They move over the mantle, occuring various deformations as they interact.