Biodiversity

While the Supertroupers are rehearsing the play ‘The Birds’, an old comedy written by Aristophanes, a bee appears on stage, which frightens some of the group. After a discussion about what to do with the bee, the group decides to visit a beekeeper in the village to better understand how bees live and what role they play in ecosystems. On this occasion, they also take the opportunity to learn a little more about what biodiversity is, in its various dimensions, and how it can be protected. The lessons learnt from this visit will later be used in the play they are putting on, taking advantage of the theatre’s ability to open the back wall, giving access to a wooded area rich in life.

Biodiversity - teachers' version

26 mo

Students' ideas about biodiversity, although diverse in most countries, are similar. During the literature analysis, we highlighted the most important ones that students will be able to relate to and provide opportunities for creating cognitive conflict in the classroom.

One of the most important elements is the motivation to learn about and protect biodiversity. As research shows, biodiversity is a difficult concept for students to understand, not only because of the complexity of the concept, but also because of the desire to understand. It is therefore crucial to show the relevance of biodiversity and what we will lose as a society when the level of biodiversity declines. In this episode of Supertroupers, we have therefore taken pollinators and pollinated plants as an example to highlight the direct consequences we may face if biodiversity levels fall, for example in grasslands.

Biodiversity occurs at three levels - genetic, species and ecosystem. Genetic biodiversity refers to intraspecific variation, species biodiversity refers to the diversity of species present in a given area, while ecosystem biodiversity is the diversity of natural habitats and the ecosystems within them.

One of the challenges for the teacher in the classroom is  lack of students' knowledge about pollinators. Most of the students think there is only one species of bee - the honeybee. Meanwhile, within the genus Apis we have not only the honey bee Apis mellifera, but also Apis cerana Fabr. - the eastern bee, Apis dorsata Fabr. - giant bee, Apis florea Fabr. - dwarf bee. In addition, there are many more pollinating insects, such as the mason bees (genus Osmia) or the streaked bees (Haliticidae).

Some of the pollinators, because of their colouration, are confused with predatory wasps or hornets, which do not pollinate plants, but are also an important part of the entire ecosystem.

Based on these various problems and alternative concepts, a scenario and the following episode were created to help construct a sequence of teaching events that will allow students to reconstruct previously held concepts, bring about cognitive conflict and ultimately build a community that understands biodiversity and, above all, is motivated to protect it.

Biodiversity is crucial for processes supporting life on Earth. Without a proper level of biodiversity, a wide range of plants, animals or microorganisms, the proper ecosystems won;t exist which provides us fresh air or food.  

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, can be defined as the variability among living beings of all origins, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part. This variability appears solely as a result of nature itself, without human intervention. Thus, it can vary according to the different ecological regions. It therefore refers to the variety of life on planet Earth (ecosystem level), including the genetic variety within populations and species (genetic level), and the variety of species of flora, fauna, microscopic fungi and microorganisms (species level).

Students' initial conceptions about biodiversity correspond to the knowledge and representations that students mobilize when faced with a subject, whether or not it is taught. These conceptions are linked to the fact that each person forms a representation of the world around them based on their personal experience, their culture and their schooling. These conceptions are not there in the void, but they are created as the response to a problem. These conceptions are interesting as they can reveal the presence of obstacles that can prevent learning if they are not taken into account. Also, it is observed students often are not motivated to protect it, as they don't see the value in it. Therefore, biodiversity is a specific subject and it is important to create an episode which will give students an opportunity to face those obstacles and will lead to motivation to protect biodiversity in the future. 

In the proposed episode on biodiversity, we provide an opportunity for the teacher to refer in the lesson to shared values such as protecting the landscape and experiencing the beauty that biodiversity brings, we highlight how pollinators are important and the benefits humans have derived from some of them coexisting with them for thousands of years and, most importantly, we identify opportunities for collaborative action in and outside the classroom.

Based on “An objective view of biological diversity: how history and epistemology shaped current treatment” (Eduardo & Carmo, 2017)

In the late nineteenth century, ecology emerged as a distinct scientific discipline and was focused on how distinct species can resolve environmental challenges and how they interact with each other (McIntosh 1985). In the work of Eugenius Warming, in 1985, entitled “Oecology of plants: an introduction to the study of plant communities”, considered one of the first genuine ecology books (McIntosh 1985), ecology was considered as a scientific discipline dealing with the need to understand the distribution of species among different environments on Earth. 

Understanding how the idea of biological diversity was addressed at that time allows us to understand how this concept was born in contemporary ecology (Eduardo & Carmo, 2017). Indeed, in these very first years of ecology as a scientific discipline, the concept of biodiversity was mainly related with lists of species, aligned with the prevalent naturalist tradition, and its occurrence throughout different places and environments.

Later on, In 1943, Ronald Fisher, Steven Corbet and Carrington Williams published the article ‘‘The Relation Between the Number of Species and the Number of Individuals in a Random Sample of an Animal Population.’’, in which they presented the first species diversity index of ecology. From then, several  species diversity metrics appeared and seemed to influence the way we look at the concept of biodiversity (Peet, 1974).

Nowadays, Biological diversity,  although it has been widely questioned as to its meaning and usefulness over the last few decades, has been established as one of the central concepts of contemporary ecology (de Mazancourt et al. 2013; Wang and Loreau 2014).

The article of Michel Soulé´ published in 1985 and entitled ‘‘What is Conservation Biology?’’ represents one of the seminal publications in conservation biology (Primack 2012), and emphasizes the concept of biodiversity for conservation sciences, arguing that the objective of conservation  is ‘‘to provide principles and tools for preserving biological diversity’’ (Soulé´ 1985, p. 727). 

Another important step was made in 1991, when the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), under the auspices of the International Council for Science (ICSU), addressed the scientific community in order to investigate the relationship between ecosystem functioning and biodiversity (Scherer-Lorenzen 2005).

In 2002 Michael Loreau, Shahid Naeem and Pablo Inchausti publish their work “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: Synthesis and Perspectives”.  Although the term ‘‘biodiversity’’ is frequently used as a synonym for species diversity, the editors advocate in their first Chapter for a broad definition of the term ‘‘biodiversity,’’  pledging to treat it as genetic, taxonomic and ecological diversity across a spatial and temporal scale (Naeem et al. 2002).

Depending on the time available and the learning objectives, reading the science webcomic can involve a combination of different strategies:

Individual/collective reading

Students read the comic individually or, on the contrary, collectively. Collective reading can be organized with the whole class or in smaller groups.

Reading in class/at home

Reading the comic can take place during class time or outside of class time, while working at home.

Full reading (of the 3 chapters) / partial reading:

The three chapters that make up this Science Comic  are sequential. In the first chapter, the reader learns about the theater play that the Supertroupers are challenged to perform - the play ‘The birds’ - as well as the issue they will explore - the importance of bees and their role in ecosystems.

While the second chapter is entirely dedicated to unravelling the issues related to biodiversity and its different dimensions, the third episode focuses on the theater performance.

Although it is advisable to read all three chapters, this can be done in part, helping to get round/delay some time constraints or encourage students' creativity;

Reading only the 1st chapter could serve as a starting point for carrying out research into bees and the importance of preserving biodiversity, and possibly building a comic stripthat highlights the knowledge built up during the research. Reading only the 3rd chapter could also be done for the same purpose. Opting for the 2nd chapter will make sense if you want to emphasise the concept of biodiversity and its different dimensions.

Continuous reading/alternating with other tasks (discussion, research, assignments)

Reading can be continuous or, on the contrary, interrupted with the aim of sharing ideas at strategic moments. Among other activities, the interruptions can be used for research tasks or debates on the different theories.  For exploring the resource, teachers can use the Teachers’ version of the comics (see the complementary resources), in which some ideas and connections are signalized, mainly related with aspects:

To connect (with concepts addressed in other grades)

To deepen (concepts and ideas implicitly addressed in the comic) 

To address (alternative students ideas)

To enrich (through creative tasks)

Biodiversity – worksheet (example)

1. At the beginning of the story, Supertroupers meet the insect - some of them claim it is a wasp and others that it is a bee. What do you think? Justify your answer by features shown on the drawing.              

Possible answer:

I believe the insect in the drawing is a bee. This conclusion is based on the insect's visibly hairy thorax, a feature typical of bees, which helps them collect pollen. Additionally, the body appears rounder and more robust, contrasting with the slender, segmented body and pronounced "wasp waist" characteristic of wasps.

2. On the slide below when it's mentioned that it is a bee and not a wasp, the rest of the group says: “Who cares?”. Explain, why should we care? Name the role of the bees and wasps in enriching the biodiversity. 

Possible answer

Bees and wasps play crucial roles in enriching biodiversity and supporting ecosystems. Bees are essential pollinators, facilitating the reproduction of a vast number of flowering plant species. This process is key to the production of seeds and fruits, which in turn supports a diverse range of species by providing necessary food and habitats. Their activity ensures the continuity of plant species, contributing significantly to the stability and health of ecosystems.

Wasps, although often less appreciated, also play important roles in biodiversity. They contribute to pollination and, in some cases, are the sole pollinators for specific plant species. Beyond pollination, wasps are natural regulators of insect populations. By controlling pests such as aphids and caterpillars, they prevent these populations from reaching levels that could disrupt the balance of ecosystems. The presence of both bees and wasps is essential for preserving biodiversity and maintaining the balance of ecosystems.

3. In the slide below, Diane is of the opinion that “and getting rid of a bee won’t threaten biodiversity”. Think of arguments you could use to convince Diane that her perspective is not correct. 

Possible answer

Diane's perspective is not correct because the disappearance of bees would have a significant impact on biodiversity. Bees are one of the most important pollinators of plants, and without them, many plants, including wildflowers and crops, would struggle to reproduce. This would disrupt the entire food chain, affecting not only plants but also the animals that depend on them for food and habitat. The loss of bees would lead to a decline in the availability of food for many species, which would affect biodiversity at multiple levels. Therefore, their decline would directly threaten the balance of ecosystems and the overall richness of biodiversity.

4. In the slides below, there is a reference to „pollinators”. 

4.1. Explain what you understand by pollination. Can you give examples of other pollinators, besides bees?

Possible answer

Pollination is the process in which pollen is transferred from the male part (anther) of a flower to the female part (stigma), enabling fertilization and the production of seeds and fruits. Pollinators are essential for this process, as they move pollen from one flower to another. While bees are the most common pollinators, other insects such as wasps, flies, and butterflies also play an important role. Additionally, birds like hummingbirds and mammals such as some species of bats contribute to pollination.

4.2. Why do you think the pollinators are important for ecosystems?

Possible answer

Pollinators are crucial for ecosystems because they enable the reproduction of many plant species, which are the foundation of food webs. Plants provide food, shelter, and oxygen for numerous organisms, and their ability to reproduce depends on pollination. Without pollinators, plants would struggle to reproduce, leading to a decrease in plant populations, which would ultimately disrupt the balance of ecosystems. This would also have a direct impact on food production, as many of the crops we rely on for food are pollinated by insects, birds, or mammals. Without them, agriculture and natural ecosystems would both suffer significantly.

5. According to the beekeeper, the diversity of plant species is important for the bees.  But this is only one dimension of biodiversity – species diversity. Analyze the second chapter of the BD and explain what are different levels of biodiversity. Mark those three different levels on the slide below.

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Possible answer

The second chapter of the comic highlights three levels of biodiversity: genetic variability, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Genetic variability refers to the variations within individuals of a species, crucial for resilience against environmental pressures. The beekeeper explains how a genetically diverse plant population is better at resisting pests compared to a monoculture. Species diversity is the variety of species within an ecosystem. The BD emphasizes how diverse plant species support various pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, contributing to ecosystem health. Ecosystem diversity encompasses the range of different ecosystems, such as meadows, forests, and streams. Each ecosystem hosts unique species, essential for maintaining overall biodiversity. These three levels are vital for the survival of pollinators and the ecosystems they support.

6. On slides below is made a reference to species extinction and the influence of humans on species diversity. Explain why we should care about the extinction of species and how humans can contribute to both extinction and species conservation.

Possible answer

The extinction of species is critical because each species plays a unique role in maintaining ecosystem stability. Loss of species can disrupt food chains and weaken ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to environmental pressures. Humans contribute to extinction through deforestation, pollution, and introducing invasive species, which disrupt habitats and reduce biodiversity. However, humans can also support conservation by protecting natural habitats, adopting sustainable practices, and restoring ecosystems, helping to preserve biodiversity and maintain ecological balance.

7. Based on these two slides below, could you explain in your own words, why the loss of genetic variability could be dangerous for the survival of species in the long term?

Possible answer

The loss of genetic variability is dangerous for the long-term survival of species because it reduces their ability to adapt to environmental changes and resist threats like diseases or pests. When all individuals in a population are genetically similar, as in monocultures, a single threat can wipe out the entire population. In contrast, greater genetic diversity increases the chances that some individuals will have traits allowing them to survive and thrive, ensuring the species' resilience and continuity.

8. The slide below presents two different ideas to justify the need to preserve biodiversity. Which vision do you most identify with? Why?

9. Read carefully the last section of the story, and propose other methods, in addition to those mentioned in the comic, to protect biodiversity. After reading whole comics, what do you think might be our motivation to do so?

Possible answer

In addition to the methods mentioned in the comic, other ways to protect biodiversity include establishing protected marine areas to safeguard ocean ecosystems, promoting urban green spaces to support local wildlife, and enforcing stricter regulations on poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Encouraging community-based conservation efforts and educating the public about the importance of biodiversity can also play a significant role.

Our motivation to protect biodiversity arises from its critical role in sustaining life on Earth. Biodiversity ensures ecosystem stability, provides essential services like clean air, water, and food, and supports cultural and recreational values. Recognizing our dependence on a healthy, diverse environment motivates us to act responsibly and preserve the natural world for future generations.

© Texto: Cláudia Faria, Bianor Valente Joana Torres, 2024

© Drawings: Bergey & Govin, Stimuli Eds, 2024

Students' worksheet

904 ko

de Mazancourt C, Isbell F, Larocque A, Berendse F, De Luca E, Grace JB, Haegeman B, Wayne Polley H, Roscher C, Schmid B, Tilman D, van Ruijven J, Weigelt A, Wilsey BJ, Loreau M (2013) Predicting ecosystem stability from community composition and biodiversity. Ecol Lett 16(5):617–625. doi:10.1111/ele.12088

Eduardo, A.A. & Carmo, R. (2017). An objective view of biological diversity: how history and epistemology shaped current treatment.  Theory Biosci. 136:113–122 DOI 10.1007/s12064-017-0245-2;

Imbernon, R., Pioker-Hara, F., Francoy, T., Alexandre, G., Lopes, G., Faht, E., & Silva, B. (2022). Bees and Society: Native Biodiversity as a Strategy for Environmental Education Based on the Processes of Nature. In Enhancing Environmental Education Through Nature-Based Solutions (pp. 201-220). Springer, Cham.

Kelemen-Finan, J., Scheuch, M., & Winter, S. (2018). Contributions from citizen science to science education: an examination of a biodiversity citizen science project with schools in Central Europe. International Journal of Science Education, 40(17), 2078-2098.

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Peet RK (1974) The measurement of species diversity. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 5:285–307

Primack RB (2012) A primer of conservation biology, 5th edn. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland

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Schönfelder, M. L., & Bogner, F. X. (2017). Individual perception of bees: Between perceived danger and willingness to protect. PLoS One, 12(6), e0180168.

Scherer-Lorenzen M (2005) Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: basic principles. In: Barthlott W, Linsenmair KE, Porembski S (eds) Encyclopedia of life support systems, vol I. Eolss Publishers, Oxford

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Stevenson, P. C., Bidartondo, M. I., Blackhall‐Miles, R., Cavagnaro, T. R., Cooper, A., Geslin, B., ... & Suz, L. M. (2020). The state of the world’s urban ecosystems: What can we learn from trees, fungi, and bees?. Plants, People, Planet, 2(5), 482-498.

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Wang S, Loreau M (2014) Ecosystem stability in space: a, b and c variability. Ecol Lett 17(8):891–901. doi:10.1111/ele.12292

Wiegelmann, J., & Zabel, J. (2021). Biodiversity researchers as a model for school students: An innovative approach to foster meaningful understanding? Environmental Education Research, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1905780