BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Teachers Instructions:
1) Make transparencies of the slides (pages 2 to 15). 2) Read through the lecture. Note that the speakers notes are below each slide. 3) Download the pdf file (click on the W button). This file contains the Note Frames, Test and Answer Keys. 4) Provide each student with a copy of the Note Frames (pages 16 to 19). 5) Begin the lecture and have students complete the note frames. 6) Have students compare their Note Frames to the Answer Key (pages 20 to 23). You can have students follow along as you read over the Answer Key. They can fill in answers they are missing. 7) Ask students to read over their Note Frames since they will be having a test next class. 8) Administer the Test (page 24) during the next class. 9) Collect Tests and correct them using the Answer Key (page 25).

Objective:
To explain how the biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to its sustainability.

Student Tasks:
1) Listen to the lecture and complete the Note Frames. 2) Read over Note Frames (study them). 3) Write the Test.

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NOTE FRAMES
An alternative method for taking notes. Handout has most of the information on it but is missing key phrases and/or terms. You must pay attention in order to fill in the blanks. TRY IT!!!

If your students havent used note frames before, show this slide and explain note frames to them. SPEAKERS NOTES: Note frames are an alternative method of taking notes. Instead of copying down everything on the screen, you are given a handout. This handout has most of the information on it but it is missing key phrases and/or terms. You must pay attention in order to fill in the blanks. Some of the answers for the blanks will be on the screen but sometimes you will have to listen to the class discussion in order to complete the notes. When completed, these note frames will become your notes for this lecture. You will use these notes for reference and to study for tests.

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BIODIVERSITY and SUSTAINABILITY

SPEAKERS NOTES: The topic of todays lecture is Biodiversity and Sustainability.

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Outline
What is biodiversity? What is sustainability? How does biodiversity contribute to sustainability?

SPEAKERS NOTES: We will talk about the definitions of biodiversity and sustainability. Then, we will discuss how biodiversity contributes to sustainability.

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Biodiversity
The term biodiversity is a contraction of the phrase biological diversity. Biodiversity means the richness and variety of life - of genes, species and ecosystems.

SPEAKERS NOTES: Biodiversity is a contraction of the phrase biological diversity. Look at your handout and fill in the first blank on your note frames with biological. Biodiversity means the richness and variety of life - of genes, species and ecosystems. (Fill in the next set of blanks with the appropriate words.)

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Biodiversity
Biodiversity maintains the health of the earth and its people. It provides us with food and medicine and contributes to our economy. It tells us a lot about the health of the biosphere. The greater the variety of species, the healthier the biosphere.

SPEAKERS NOTES: Biodiversity maintains the health of the earth (fill in the next blank) and its people. It provides us with food and medicine and contributes to our economy. For example, we use plants and animals for food and medicine and we can harvest plants and animals and sell them to make money. In Manitoba, the fishing industry contributes $150 million annually to our economy. Biodiversity tells us a lot about the health of the biosphere. The greater the variety of species, the healthier the biosphere is. Why is this? (pause, have students brainstorm answers). [Possible answers] more species = more links in food chains/webs = more stable more plants = more food for other animals (more oxygen too) more genes = better chances for survival through adaptation a variety of ecosystems = more habitat for different species.

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 The more links in a food web, the more stable it is.

SPEAKERS NOTES: Removing one link from a food web that has many links does not affect it as much as if there were very few links.

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Sustainability
The ability to maintain ecological processes over long periods of time. Sustainability of an ecosystem is the ability of that ecosystem to maintain its structure and function over time in the face of external stress.

SPEAKERS NOTES: Sustainability is the ability to maintain something over a long period of time. For an ecosystem, sustainability means maintaining ecological processes over long periods of time. What are these ecological processes? (have students respond). [Possible answers] Biogeochemical cycles, evolution, food chains and webs, population dynamics, succession. So, if an ecosystem is able to maintain its structure and function over time in the face of external stress, it is said to be sustainable.

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Sustainability
Is strongly linked to ecosystem health. The more sustainable an ecosystem is, the healthier it is because it is able to deal with external stress better (i.e. limiting factors).

SPEAKERS NOTES: Sustainability is an indicator of ecosystem health. The more sustainable an ecosystem is, the healthier it is because it is able to deal with external stress better. What is external stress on an ecosystem? (have students respond) [Answer: limiting factors.] What are some examples of limiting factors? (have students respond) [Possible answers] Human activities and natural disasters such as deforestation, tornadoes, floods, pollution, etc.

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Biodiversity and Sustainability

The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to the sustainability of that ecosystem. Higher/more biodiversity = more sustainable. Lower/less biodiversity = less sustainable. High biodiversity in an ecosystem means that there is a great variety of genes and species in that ecosystem.

SPEAKERS NOTES: How does an ecosystem become sustainable? By having a lot of biodiversity. The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to the sustainability of that ecosystem. The higher the biodiversity of an ecosystem, the more sustainable it is. Conversely, lower biodiversity equals less sustainability. Why is this? The higher biodiversity in an ecosystem means that there is a greater variety of genes and species in that ecosystem.

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Biodiversity and Sustainability

A great variety of genes and species means that the ecosystem is better able to carry out natural processes in the face of external stress. Thus, the ecosystem is more sustainable.

SPEAKERS NOTES: A great variety of genes and species means that the ecosystem is better able to carry out natural processes (such as biogeochemical cycles, population dynamics, evolution, succession, etc.) in the face of external stress. The ecosystem will have more genes and species to help it carry out these processes. For example, there will be more species and more links in food webs, more plants to help with the biogeochemical cycles and more genes available for succession and evolution.

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Biodiversity and Sustainability

The more sustainable an ecosystem is, the better it is for the environment and for people. People use ecosystems as sources of food, medicine and economy. Thus, it is in everyones best interest to increase the sustainability of ecosystems. How can we do this?

SPEAKERS NOTES: The more sustainable an ecosystem is the better it is for the environment and for people. This is because we need ecosystems to survive - we need nutrients, food, medicine and money to survive and ecosystems provide us with all of these things. So, it is in everyones best interest to increase the sustainability of ecosystems but how can we do this? (have students respond). [Possible answers] Recycling, reusing, caring for the environment (planting, etc.), taking only the surplus of populations when fishing or hunting, reduce pollution, etc.

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For Example...
The greater the variety of genes and species of fish, plants and animals in the Lake Winnipeg ecosystem, the more biodiversity. Higher biodiversity will increase the ecosystems sustainability Why is this important?

Whitefish

Northern pike

Walleye

SPEAKERS NOTES: Lake Winnipegs ecosystem is home to a wide variety of fish species such as walleye, whitefish, pike, and goldeye. There are many plant and animal species (e.g. fish) in this ecosystem and they all contribute to the biodiversity. A greater variety of genes and species (biodiversity) in the Lake Winnipeg ecosystem contributes to its sustainability. The sustainability of this ecosystem is enhanced by its biodiversity. Why is the sustainability of Lake Winnipegs ecosystem important? (have students respond). [Possible answers] Because people depend on this ecosystem for food, income, nutrients (from plants, land, animals, biogeochemical cycles).

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Lake Winnipeg
We rely on Lake Winnipegs ecosystem for many things:
fish for food and commercial use (revenue). land and plants for food and revenue (agriculture). nutrients from biogeochemical cycles. water and landscape for tourism (beaches, etc.).

SPEAKERS NOTES: People rely on Lake Winnipegs ecosystem for many things such as land and plants for food and revenue, water and landscape for tourism and revenue, fish for food and commercial use (revenue from sales of fish, boats and fishing equipment), and nutrients from biogeochemical cycles.

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THE END
p.s. there is a test next class

SPEAKERS NOTES: Read over your note frames tonight as we will be having a quiz on this material next class. Be sure you understand the material as you will have to answer questions on the quiz in your own words. Marks will be lost if you simply re-write the notes word for word.

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