Author Capstone Axis

Biodiversity Conservation Why Protect Biodiversity? 🐾🌿 Narrowly utilitarian value – Nature feeds us (cereals, pulses, fruits), warms us (firewood), builds our homes (timber, fibre), powers industries (tannins, dyes, resins, perfumes) and heals us: over 25 % of modern medicines come from plants, and about 25 000 plant species still support traditional healthcare worldwide. Nations that […]

Chapter 13.1 — Biodiversity 🎉 1. A Quick Tour of Life’s Amazing Variety 🌏 Earth wows us with 20 000 + ants, 300 000 + beetles, 28 000 + fishes and ~20 000 orchids – and that’s just a teaser! :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21} Biodiversity is the total variety found at every level of biology – from molecules

Ecological Pyramids 📊 A pyramid has a broad base and a narrow tip. Ecosystems show the same shape when you stack living beings in their feeding order (trophic levels). We can draw three main pyramids: number, biomass, and energy. The base always starts with producers (green plants) and the tip ends with top-level carnivores. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

Energy Flow in Ecosystems 🔄 ☀️ Sun-powered life Except for a few deep-sea vents, every ecosystem runs on sunlight. Less than 50 % of incoming light is photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and green plants lock up only 2 – 10 % of that PAR as chemical energy.:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} This captured energy moves one way—from the sun

Decomposition 🪱✨ Decomposition is the breakdown of complex organic matter into simpler inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and nutrients. It keeps ecosystems “tidy” by recycling the detritus (dead leaves, bark, flowers, animal remains and fecal matter) that falls to the ground each day.:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} Detritus & Detritivores Detritus is the raw material for decomposition.

🌞 Productivity in Ecosystems Every ecosystem runs on a steady supply of sunlight. Plants use this light to build biomass (organic matter). We call the amount made in a given space and time primary production 📈. Scientists usually measure it as weight (g m–2) or energy (kcal m–2):contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. 🚀 Key Productivity Terms Gross Primary Productivity

🌏 Ecosystem – Structure & Function An ecosystem mixes non-living things (water, soil, air, sunlight) with living things (plants, animals, microbes) so that everything works together as one smooth unit. When the living and non-living parts interact, they create a unique physical structure that scientists can describe and measure. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} 🌳 How an Ecosystem Is

Populations: How Living Things Team Up, Grow & Share Space 1. What Exactly Is a Population? 🌎 A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in one area, sharing or competing for similar resources and (usually) able to interbreed. From lotus plants in a pond to bacteria on a plate, every

Ethical Issues in Biotechnology – Smart Notes Ethical Issues in Biotechnology 🔬🌿 1. Why do ethics matter? 🤔 Every time people change the DNA of a plant, an animal, or a microbe, the change can ripple through food chains and ecosystems. Clear rules keep experiments helpful and prevent harm. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} 2. Risks of releasing GM

Transgenic Animals 🧬 A transgenic animal carries and actively shows an extra (foreign) gene that scientists add to its DNA. Mice make up over 95 % of all such animals, but researchers have also created transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows, and even fish. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} Why Do Scientists Create Them? 🤔 Understand Normal Body Functions