Transcript Biomes
Biodiversity Chapter 10 What is Biodiversity? Bio – Living things Diversity – variety Biodiversity – the different species that live together in a particular area. Usually represented by a NUMBER Biome with most biodiversity is the Tropical Rain Forest 2 Types of Biodiversity Known Diversity – is when species are collected and studied scientifically. Unknown Diversity – we believe a species exists but have not studied it scientifically. These species are usually found in areas that are hard to study. (ex. Deep ocean, outer space, wilderness, etc.) 3 Levels of Biodiversity 1. Species Diversity – the number of different species in an area. 2. Ecosystem Diversity – the variety of habitats, communities and ecological processes within an ecosystem. 3. Genetic Diversity – all of the genes contained within all the members of a population Why is biodiversity important??? 8 benefits of Biodiversity 1. Helps to keep ecosystems stable The more different species in an ecosystem, the more stable it is. Keystone species – a species that plays a very important role with an ecosystem. (ex. Honeybees) 2. Species and population survival Allows adaptation so species and populations can survive Genetic – in order for a species to adapt to its environment there must be a variety of genes in the population. 3. Medicines Approximately 25% of all drugs come from plants 4. Industrial uses Provides chemicals used to manufacture different things (come from living things) 5. Agriculture Most of the crops we eat are hybrids. Hybrids are crops developed by combining genetic material from 2 or more different plants. 6. Ethics Some people believe all living things have the right to exist even if they do not benefit humans. 7. Aesthetics People believe we should preserve biodiversity because it is beautiful and for personal enjoyment. 8. Recreation Biodiversity provides hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and other recreational activities. Biodiversity at Risk Threatened Endangered Extinct Threatened Species – a species with a declining population that is likely to become endangered if no action is taken. Endangered Species – a species that is likely to become extinct, if current conditions continue. Extinction – when a species no longer exists anywhere in the world Mass Extinction – occurs when many species become extinct at one time Between the years 1800 and 2100 up to 25% of all existing species could become extinct. 4 ways that humans cause extinction: 1. Habitat destruction – The #1 cause of extinction 2. Hunting & Poaching Poaching = illegal hunting Poaching includes: Hunting a species that should not be hunted Hunting an animal out of season Hunting with the wrong weapon Legal hunting rarely leads to extinction 3. Pollution – enters the food chain and travels up through all of the organisms. 4. Invasive Exotic Species – when species are placed in an ecosystem where they are not normally found, this causes many problems… a. They could become predators, killing and eating a native species b. Exotic species may not be able to survive in the new conditions c. The introduced species could become prey which throws off balance of the food chain. Areas of Critical Biodiversity Biodiversity Hotspots – the most threatened areas with a high level of biodiversity (25 of them) See Figure 9, Page 268 Examples of Endangered Species The land biome with the most biodiversity is the Tropical Rainforest. The aquatic biome with the most biodiversity is the Coral Reef. Coastal areas and islands are easily threatened. Most of these “hotspot” areas have lost at least 70% of their original, natural vegetation. Most of the hot spots are tropical rainforests, coral reefs, or islands. 3 hotspots are located in the US California Floristic Province Caribbean (Florida) Polynesia & Micronesia (Hawaii) The US has a high level of biodiversity in fresh water ecosystems and land plants The Future of Biodiversity Ways to Save Threatened Species 1. Captive breeding programs – scientists capture adult members of a species to breed in captivity. They release the offspring back into the wild (ex. California condor) 2. Preserving Genetic Material – DNA from sperm cells or egg cells is removed from the organism and stored in a controlled environment. 3. Zoos, Aquariums, Parks & Gardens – these facilities offer threatened organisms a protected environment to live in. 4. Protect Habitat – MOST IMPORTANT The best way to save a species is to protect their habitat We now focus on protecting entire ecosystems instead of an individual species. Legal Protection U.S. Laws Endangered Species Act – Law passed in 1973 requires 3 things: 1. US Fish and Wildlife Service must make a list of threatened and endangered species. 2. The species on this list can not be harmed in any way: (includes destruction of habitat and hunting) 3. The US Fish & Wildlife Service must prepare a species recovery plan for each species on the list. The Species Recovery Plan includes: A Habitat Conservation Plan This is a plan that attempts to protect 1 or more species across large areas of land through trade-offs or cooperative agreement. International Laws (threatened and endangered) 1. International treaty that bans the trade of any product that comes from an endangered species (ex. Ivory from elephants) 2. Biodiversity Treaty – the goal of the treaty is to preserve biodiversity and insure the proper use of genetic resources.