Invasive species and biodiversity

Ecosystems work best when the animals and plants living there arethose that have lived there for a very long time. In these ecosystems a balance exists. One year there may be an excess ofpredator animals but fewer prey animals. The predator animals in this situation do not thrive as they don't have much to eat and so the balance is restored. However, when an invasive alien species arrives on the scene this balance can be destroyed.

Session 6

Biodiversity

Information

Games

Crafts & Activities

About this Topic

Biodiversity simply means the variety of life on our planet.

You may have heard of Climate Change, but biodiversity loss is a related threat which some might say is equally important to our future.

As with climate change, biodiversity loss is largely but not entirely due to humans and has been very apparent in the last few centuries.

Human influences can take many forms, e.g. habitat destruction and introduction of invasive species, but humans can also be part of the solution. For our own sake and for the sake of the other
creatures, large and small, who inhabits our planet we must do something and do it soon.

How to use this resource

There are 5 Rays, which provide a programme for one year’s sessions for a children’s group running during term-time. For each Ray, there is a set of topics, each of which comprises a theme for a term or half-term.

The sessions are presented in a pick-and-mix way - some information, some games, crafts, videos, etc. You are encouraged to adapt the material to your own setting , the time you have available and the resources you have. Don’t think that you have to do everything on offer.