Discuss causes of genetic diversity. These include mutations and recombination of chromosomes. Introduce the theory of evolution through natural selection and Darwinism. Discuss evolution through artificial selection and compare with natural. Examine evolution through randomness.

Methods of measuring ecosystem diversity. Discuss why the variety of genes determines the genetic diversity. Define speciation and the approximate number of species in the biosphere. Use diagrams to define and explain species richness and evenness and the effect on biodiversity.
Define genotype and phenotype using examples. Review how the genotype effects the phenotype which exhibits. Review from biology how the formation of genetic mutations occurs and is transferred by sex cells. Use examples of mutations which are helpful to a species survival

Discuss the factors involved in genetic evolution and how they effect the species diversity. These factors include inbreeding, the effects of inbreeding, the type of populations which are prone to inbreeding. Outbreeding and the effect on recessive traits also examined, along with how recessive traits are inherited genetically

Discuss phenotype and genotype changes. Examine how the environment can produce phenotype changes, which will increase ability to survive.
Examine mutations, their causes and effects on the survival. Examine recombination of genes which can produce new traits.

Discuss genotype changes which will produce phenotype changes.
Examine phenotype changes which also can be a product of the environment. Discuss how the response to changing environment wi improve ability to survive. Include mutations and recombination.

Examine how the variety of an ecosystem is a measure of the biodiversity. Discuss how the variety is a function of genetic diversity, habitat diversity and specie diversity. Show how environmentalists attempt to determine how many different species are found in a particular ecosystem. Define and discuss what determine a specie. Indicate that insects contain the most species on the planet, but that the methods used for determination often lead to enhanced numbers

Define and discuss how species richness and species evenness are used to determine species diversity in an ecosystem. Use photographs and examples of each. Discuss the effects of human activity on each, and by extension, on diversity.
Introduce module 15, "How evolution creates diversity". Elicit a definition of evolution and the meaning of microevolution and macroevolution. Define speciation. Discuss how genes are involved in speciation. Introduce the terms genotype and phenotype. Examine the changes which take place in the DNA molecule in order for a mutation to exhibit. Define a mutation and discuss some historical mutations caused by drugs and radiation.

Complete the module by discussing the intertidal zone, the coral reef, and the open ocean. View diagrams and photos. Discuss the variety of life present and the zones present in the open ocean. Discuss how some organisms adapted to survive in the deepest benthic zone of the oceans, utilizing methane and sulfur dioxide as a source of energy

Discuss factors used to determine ecosystem diversity. Include genetic diversity and species diversity. Report the estimated number of species in the biosphere, along with a workable definition of a species. Stress that a species must be able to breed and produce viable offspring.
Discuss a method for determining the number of insect species present in a trop. rain forest by determining the number of beetles.

Discuss the location, productivity, typical plant life, typical animal life, and soil richness for the following biomes. Salt marsh, Mangrove swamp, intertidal zone, coral reef, and open ocean. Use photographs and images to aid in the discussion.