# Human activities such as deforestation and pollution can reduce biodiversity. Explain how a reduction in biodiversity can have negative consequences for ecosystems and for humans.

> Eduqas GCSE Biology — 6.3 Biodiversity · Explain · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Fewer species means food webs/chains become less stable / if one species is lost, other species that depend on it may also be lost
2. Reduced biodiversity decreases the resilience of an ecosystem to change / less able to recover from disturbances such as disease or climate change
3. Loss of species reduces the potential for discovering new medicines / many medicines originally come from wild organisms
4. Reduced biodiversity can affect food security for humans / loss of crop varieties or wild relatives of crops reduces options for breeding disease-resistant or high-yielding crops

## Key terms

- [biodiversity](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/biodiversity)
- [ecosystem](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/ecosystem)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Eduqas GCSE Biology](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/human-activities-such-as-deforestation-and-8c0497b1) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.