Biodiversity – refers to the variety of life in the area. There Biodiversity – refers to the variety of life in the area.
rea. There
are three types of biodiversity – genetic diversity, species
diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
 Species diversity - is the number and variety of
different species in the world or in a particular
ecosystem
 Genetic diversity - is diversity within a species or a
local population. Genetic diversity means that there
are a variety of genes (alleles) and therefore a
variety of traits in a population
o Why is genetic diversity advantageous for a
species?
- Genetic diversity is advantageous
for a species’ survival as it
increases the likelihood that some
individuals could survive and adapt
to environmental changes.
 Ecosystem diversity - is the number and variety of
different ecosystems in a given area. Some areas of
earth have very little ecosystem diversity over a
large area, others have a large amount of diversity in
a relatively small area.
Biodiversity Loss
 Extinction of species – means that the last individual
belonging to a particular species is gone. There are
two types of extinction:
a. Natural extinction – if a species of organisms is
lost every 1,000 years.
b. Accelerated extinction – occurs approximate rate
of 100 species per day, which is 1,000 times
higher than the natural extinction rate.
 Loss of specific habitants
 Loss of genetic variations within species
Extinction of Species as the Number One Cause of
Biodiversity Loss
- Extinction of species may be brought about by natural
causes and man – made activitities.
Man-made Cause of Extinction
1. Habitat Destruction
 Industrialization
 Increasing demand for timbers as energy source
and for housing furniture construction
 Construction of dams that destroys large sections
of river and streams
 Coastal developments that wipe out coral reefs
2. Commercial Hunting/ Harvesting and Hunting for
Sports
Examples:
o Whales as sources of commercial oil
o Snakes and crocodiles as source of skin used
in making bags and shoes
o Cheetahs, tigers, and jaguar as sources of
coat furs
3. Introduction of Aliean, Exotic or Non-native Species
4. Pollution Caused by Human Activities Can Take Many
Forms
are three types of biodiversity – genetic diversity, species
diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
 Species diversity - is the number and variety of
different species in the world or in a particular
ecosystem
 Genetic diversity - is diversity within a species or a
local population. Genetic diversity means that there
are a variety of genes (alleles) and therefore a
variety of traits in a population
o Why is genetic diversity advantageous for a
species?
- Genetic diversity is advantageous
for a species’ survival as it
increases the likelihood that some
individuals could survive and adapt
to environmental changes.
 Ecosystem diversity - is the number and variety of
different ecosystems in a given area. Some areas of
earth have very little ecosystem diversity over a
large area, others have a large amount of diversity in
a relatively small area.
Biodiversity Loss
 Extinction of species – means that the last individual
belonging to a particular species is gone. There are
two types of extinction:
c. Natural extinction – if a species of organisms is
lost every 1,000 years.
d. Accelerated extinction – occurs approximate rate
of 100 species per day, which is 1,000 times
higher than the natural extinction rate.
 Loss of specific habitants
 Loss of genetic variations within species
Extinction of Species as the Number One Cause of
Biodiversity Loss
- Extinction of species may be brought about by natural
causes and man – made activitities.
Man-made Cause of Extinction
1. Habitat Destruction
 Industrialization
 Increasing demand for timbers as energy source
and for housing furniture construction
 Construction of dams that destroys large sections
of river and streams
 Coastal developments that wipe out coral reefs
2. Commercial Hunting/ Harvesting and Hunting for
Sports
Examples:
o Whales as sources of commercial oil
o Snakes and crocodiles as source of skin used
in making bags and shoes
o Cheetahs, tigers, and jaguar as sources of
coat furs
3. Introduction of Aliean, Exotic or Non-native Species
4. Pollution Caused by Human Activities Can Take Many
Forms