20.2

Habitat destruction

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610)  · Unit 20: Human influences on ecosystems  · 11 flashcards

Habitat destruction is topic 20.2 in the Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) syllabus , positioned in Unit 20 — Human influences on ecosystems , alongside Food supply, Pollution and Conservation.  In one line: Biodiversity is the variety of different species living in a specific area. A forest ecosystem, with diverse plant and animal species, has high biodiversity, while a monoculture crop field has low biodiversity.

This topic is examined in Paper 1 (multiple-choice) and Papers 3/4 (theory), plus Paper 5 or Paper 6 (practical / alternative to practical). Past papers from 2022 to 2025 record 3 explicit questions on this topic — though the concept underpins many adjacent topics, so it is tested far more often than that figure suggests.

The deck below contains 11 flashcards — 1 definition and 10 key concepts — covering the precise wording mark schemes reward.  Use the definition card to lock down command-word answers (define, state), then move on to the concept and application cards to handle explain, describe and compare questions.

Key definition

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of different species living in a specific area. A forest ecosystem, with diverse plant and animal species, has high biodiversity, while a monoculture crop field has low biodiversity.

What the Cambridge 0610 syllabus says

Official 2026-2028 spec

These are the exact learning objectives Cambridge sets for this topic. Match the command word (Describe, Explain, State, etc.) in your answer to score full marks.

  1. Describe Describe biodiversity as the number of different species that live in an area
  2. Describe Describe the reasons for habitat destruction, including: (a) increased area for housing, crop plant production and livestock production (b) extraction of natural resources (c) freshwater and marine pollution
  3. State State that through altering food webs and food chains, humans can have a negative impact on habitats
  4. Explain Explain the undesirable effects of deforestation as an example of habitat destruction, to include: reducing biodiversity, extinction, loss of soil, flooding and increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Definition Flip

Define biodiversity.

Answer Flip

Biodiversity is the variety of different species living in a specific area. A forest ecosystem, with diverse plant and animal species, has high biodiversity, while a monoculture crop field has low biodiversity.

Key Concept Flip

How does increased housing development lead to habitat destruction?

Answer Flip

Construction of houses and infrastructure replaces natural ecosystems, directly destroying habitats and displacing wildlife.

Example: building a new suburb can eliminate forest or wetland areas.
Key Concept Flip

Explain how crop plant production can cause habitat destruction.

Answer Flip

Converting natural habitats into agricultural land for growing crops, such as palm oil plantations replacing rainforests, destroys the original ecosystem and reduces biodiversity. This also reduces habitat for insects like bees which rely on the rainforest plants for survival.

Key Concept Flip

Describe how livestock production contributes to habitat destruction.

Answer Flip

Large-scale livestock farming requires vast areas for grazing and growing animal feed, leading to deforestation and habitat loss.

Example: large areas of the Amazon rainforest are cleared for cattle ranching.
Key Concept Flip

How does the extraction of natural resources lead to habitat destruction?

Answer Flip

Activities like mining, oil drilling, and logging directly remove or degrade habitats. For instance, open-pit mining destroys landscapes, and logging decimates forests and disrupts wildlife.

Key Concept Flip

Explain how freshwater and marine pollution contribute to habitat destruction.

Answer Flip

Pollution from industrial runoff, agricultural fertilizers, and sewage contaminates aquatic ecosystems, harming or killing aquatic life.

Example: fertilizer runoff causes eutrophication, killing fish. Oil spills devastate marine habitats and organisms like seabirds and marine mammals.
Key Concept Flip

Explain how habitat destruction can negatively impact food webs.

Answer Flip

Habitat loss can eliminate key species from a food web, disrupting the flow of energy and nutrients and potentially causing the collapse of entire ecosystems.

Example: Deforestation removes primary producers, impacting herbivores and carnivores that rely on them.
Key Concept Flip

Describe the undesirable effects of deforestation on biodiversity.

Answer Flip

Deforestation reduces biodiversity by eliminating habitats for numerous plant and animal species, leading to population declines and potentially extinction. The orangutans in Borneo are endangered due to deforestation.

Key Concept Flip

Explain how deforestation can lead to increased flooding.

Answer Flip

Trees and vegetation help to absorb rainfall and reduce soil erosion. Deforestation removes this protective cover, leading to increased runoff, soil erosion, and a higher risk of flooding.

Example: Heavy rainfall on deforested slopes leads to landslides.
Key Concept Flip

Describe how deforestation affects the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

Answer Flip

Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide, and burning trees releases stored carbon, leading to an increase in atmospheric CO2, enhancing the greenhouse effect.

Key Concept Flip

Explain how deforestation can lead to soil loss.

Answer Flip

Tree roots bind the soil together, preventing erosion. Deforestation exposes the soil to wind and rain, leading to increased erosion and loss of topsoil, which is vital for plant growth. Topsoil erosion after deforestation can lead to desertification.

Review the material

Read revision notes with definitions, equations, and exam tips.

Read Notes

Test yourself

Practice with MCQ questions to check your understanding.

Take Biology Quiz
20.1 Food supply 20.3 Pollution

Key Questions: Habitat destruction

Define biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the variety of different species living in a specific area. A forest ecosystem, with diverse plant and animal species, has high biodiversity, while a monoculture crop field has low biodiversity.

More topics in Unit 20 — Human influences on ecosystems

Habitat destruction sits alongside these Biology decks in the same syllabus unit. Each uses the same spaced-repetition system, so progress in one informs the next.

20.1 Food supply

11 flashcards
20.3 Pollution

12 flashcards
20.4 Conservation

12 flashcards

Cambridge syllabus keywords to use in your answers

These are the official Cambridge 0610 terms tagged to this section. Mark schemes credit responses that use the exact term — weave them into your answers verbatim rather than paraphrasing.

deforestation habitat destruction extinction endangered species biodiversity conservation protected area captive breeding seed bank

Key terms covered in this Habitat destruction deck

Every term below is defined in the flashcards above. Use the list as a quick recall test before your exam — if you can't define one of these in your own words, flip back to that card.

Biodiversity

Related Biology guides

Long-read articles that go beyond the deck — cover the whole subject's common mistakes, high-yield content and revision pacing.

IGCSE Biology common mistakes

Where marks slip and how to avoid the most-common errors

IGCSE Biology high-yield questions

The 30+ definitions and processes that recur year after year

IGCSE Biology 2-week revision plan

Daily breakdown for the fortnight before exams

How to study this Habitat destruction deck

Start in Study Mode, attempt each card before flipping, then rate Hard, Okay or Easy. Cards you rate Hard come back within a day; cards you rate Easy push out to weeks. Your progress is saved in your browser, so come back daily for 5–10 minute reviews until every card reads Mastered.