Biodiversity and conservation

This course is a part of Biology, a 31-course Topic series from Khan Academy.

From penguins to palm trees to bacteria, our planet is host to an awe-inspiring diversity of organisms. Dive deep into Earth's breathtaking biodiversity, learn why this biodiversity is in peril today, and discover what you can do to protect the species and ecosystems that support human life on Earth. This content is provided by the California Academy of Sciences.

This course contains 5 segments:

Ecosystems & ecosystem services

Discover why a high diversity of species sustains ecosystems, which in turn provide important services to humans. This content is provided by the California Academy of Sciences.

Global distribution of biodiversity

Explore how life is found almost everywhere on Earth, but is not distributed evenly. And learn why the clumped distributions of species are the result of a wide variety of both natural and human-driven factors. This content is provided by the California Academy of Sciences.

Threats to biodiversity

Examine the local and global threats to biodiversity that are caused by human activities. Many of the negative impacts start as regional, but easily add up to affect the entire planet. This content is provided by the California Academy of Sciences.

Protecting biodiversity

Research, education, individual action, and public policy all have important roles to play in protecting biodiversity. That means there's a lot you, personally, can do to preserve species and ecosystems - whoever you may be, and wherever you may live! This content is provided by the California Academy of Sciences.

Levels of biodiversity

Learn how to recognize the genetic, ecosystem, and evolutionary levels of biodiversity. Along with species richness, these levels play crucial roles in conservation. Content provided by the California Academy of Sciences.