CTS 10-12: Wildlife: Biodiversity

Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute tracks changes in Alberta's wildlife and their habitats, and provides ongoing, science data on Alberta's living resources.

Information about species that are native to Alberta, as well as invasive species and species at risk

Animal Diversity Web (ADW) is an online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan

A site from the UK that discusses how the presence of bats is an indication of healthy biodiversity

Here's something odd to think about. Trees in BC need salmon so that they can survive.

Information from the Canadian Government about the variety of genes, species and ecosystems that keep the living world healthy.

This site provides an excellent definition of biodiversity and links to a data bank of fact sheets and information about Canada's birds and mammals.

Learn why it important to protect Earth's biodiversity. The video also provides some examples of how communities can make a difference.

Scroll down to access the report's summaries, a video and wildlife photography. The report measures Canada’s ecological performance, particularly the health of wildlife and endangered species.

There are an estimated 10 quintillion individual insects on earth, outnumbering humans by more than a billion to one. That's a lot of insects! So what’s their secret to success? Related Lesson

What makes one ecosystem strong and another weak in the face of change? This video explains why biodiversity is the key. Related Lesson

In this video, a scientist explains diversity in nature and why biodiversity is so important in the natural world.

This site is virtual experience; it uses science-based artwork to show the diminishing biodiversity on Earth. The map shows endangered or extinct species. You will find embedded videos as well.

The Wild Species reports represent the most comprehensive look at the state of Canada’s species and contain the general status assessments many species.

Meet the animal influencers that play an oversize — and often surprising — role in shaping our world.

Keystone plant genera are unique to local food webs within ecoregions. Remove keystone plants and diversity will be diminished.

While all life has the right to exist, there are two groups of animals that are more important to an ecosystem than other animals. These are known as keystone species and the indicator species.

A keystone species helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Learn who some of the keystone species are.

An umbrella species is a species whose wellbeing and population numbers are suggestive of the entire ecosystem’s health.

With large and diverse home ranges, the grizzly bear is an ecological umbrella species, meaning its presence on the landscape ensures a healthier ecosystem for countless other animals and plants.

The Umbrella species concept is a brilliant conservation strategy to use a single species to protect an entire ecosystem, but how effective is it?

25% of the world’s land area is owned or occupied by indigenous peoples. But while their tradition knowledge is recognized, it is rarely taken into account by researchers and policymakers.

This is Chapter 6 in a textbook, Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia. It points out that we shouldn't
ignore Indigenous knowledge in helping shape future biodiversity management and research.

The Arctic is a unique and remote region that can be both an early indicator of the climate of the rest of the Earth and a driver for weather patterns across the globe. Related Lesson

Indigenous peoples around the world have fostered biological diversity through their traditional knowledge

Bug Guide is a forum collecting pictures of bugs across the United States and Canada. It includes identification guides and an Identification request tab, where you can ask experts what kind of bug you have on your hands.

Information about insects in Canada from the Canadian Wildlife Foundation

A free online identification tool, Discover Life also boasts a global species map, over 1 000 000 unique species pages and a daily moth identification test to keep your ID skills sharp.

EOL is a collection of open-access data on biodiversity around the world. It covers both multi-celled organisms like plants, animals and fungi as well as single celled organisms like archaea and protists.

Full-page descriptions and colour photos of a variety of common species are included in this field guide for Grades 6-12.

Students can bring leaves, needles and pinecones in from home or these things can be collected on a class walk. Then students can use this tree sort card to identify the species of trees.

This document provides many images, charts and information about wetland invertebrates.

This database provides information and photos of many of the plants that are native to North America.

While some invasive species are extremely harmful, did you know that despite their name, some invasive species are actually beneficial to the ecosystem?

There are nearly a million different insect species in the world, but most have one of just five common types of mouthparts. Why is this information useful to scientists? This video explains how an insect’s mouthparts provide clues. Related Lesson

ABCEE works to get the youth excited about protecting the environment. They work with 200+ organizations to improve environmental education in Alberta

A Bird's Eye View of Changing Landscapes lesson plan introduces students to landscape change and potential impacts on biological communities.

An immersive Minecraft world with standards-based lessons. Explore these resources for hands-on learning about ecosystems, conservation and biodiversity.

This document explores the ethical harvest considerations and cultural foundations of this work, as well as teaching practices that enhance students’ interaction with the content.

The activities in this toolkit provide students with an understanding of the importance of nature and how all living things are connected.