Biodiversity Notes

Short for Biological Diversity

What does this mean?

Biological = Living organisms (plants and animals)

Diversity = variety
 Species diversity
• number of species in a given
area.
– An island with 2 bird species and 1 lizard
species is more diverse than an island with
3 bird species. http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/themes/human/images/Vegetation_Cuba.jpg

– It’s numbers of species as well as

http://www.al.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/photo/for/mng

categories of organisms.
t/pine_plantation2.jpg

Lower Species Diversity Higher Species Diversity

 http://www.sagarprabhu.com/gif/rice5.gif

Genetic diversity
• Variations of genes A few of the
within a species. hundreds of
rice varieties
– Lots of distinct populations found in
India.
within a species (lots of
Some genetic diversity
varieties of rice in India--all in potatoes …
from same species)
– Genetic Variation within the
population as a whole
(high in Indian rhinos, low
in cheetahs)
http://www.potatoperspective.org/about_files/DSCN7746.jpg
 Ecosystem diversity
http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/HJA_mo/images/

• Variety of ecosystems
Lookout_meadow_vs_forest.jpg

within an area.
– Wisconsin has about 9
different ecosystems,
Coniferous Forest other states only have
meeting a meadow
about 3, some >14, etc.
http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/ba
ckissues/02-01/living_color/beach.jpg

– Very hard to measure due

to overlapping boundary
areas also called
ecotones.
Ocean meeting
a beach
 Importance of Biodiversity:

http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/
• Maintains soil quality: healthy

www/images/plants/fngcone1.jpg
bacteria, algae, fungi, mites,
millipedes and worms help cycle
nutrients
• Maintains air quality: plants
purify the air and filter harmful
particles out of the air

http://www.pondsaway.com/images/wetlands1.jpg
• Maintains water quality:
variety of vegetation reduces erosion http://www.tropicalisland.de/KCH%20Sarawak

and purifies water by removing (using %20-%20Bako%20National%20Park%20-

%20Tropical%20rainforest2%201_b.jpg

or absorbing) nutrients and pollution

 Intercropping

Importance Continued … cocoa plants

with coconut
• Pest control: most crop pests trees.
can be controlled by other
organisms for a longer period of
time – helpful because many pests
become resistant to synthetic
pesticides http://images.jupiterimages.com/commo

http://www.bugwise.net.au/images/25
n/detail/75/81/22568175.jpg

• Pollination and crop

0/pollination_002.jpg
production: More than 1/3 of
world’s crops rely on healthy
pollinators
• (Potential) Medicines: many
current and possible future
medications found in areas with
high biodiversity
 5 Threats of Biodiversity
• Habitat
destruction/fragmentation
• Invasive species
• Population growth
• Pollution
• Overconsumption
 Habitat Destruction
•Changing a habitat to suit human needs…for
housing, farming, etc.
•This displaces
animals/plants.
As the human
population
grows, so does
habitat
destruction!
 Fragmentation
• Breaking up large
habitats into smaller
habitats.
• Creates an “edge” habitat
where “inner” habitat
used to be. Some plants
and animals cannot
adapt to these changes. http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/illinois/i
mages/ozark_frag.jpg
 Invasive Species
Any organism that Oftentimes,include:
Synonyms invasive species
out-compete native species
has been relocated resulting inspecies,
Introduced disruption of the
non-
somewhere other ecosystem
native andexotic
species, food chain.
Many native organisms are
than its original species
becoming and alien species…
endangered by this!
habitat.
Zebra Mussel

Asian Beetle
Population growth of Humans
 Increasing population
means greater demand for
food, shelter, fuel and
water.
 This often leads to habitat
loss, pollution, resource http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/

scarcity and 2222903/2/istockphoto_2222903_crowded_city.jpg

overconsumption (in areas

with enough money)
 Humans are coming into
greater (more frequent)
contact with previously wild
areas with high biodiversity
http://www.chbr.noaa.gov/categories/stressors/image
s/pollution_sm.jpg
Population expected to reach
8 billion by 2020
 Pollution
o Pollution can alter the habitat to the point where
some plants and animals will not be able to
adapt.
o Global Climate Change--many species are
intolerant to changes in temperature--affects
feeding relationships and breeding patterns.
o Acid rain/Air pollution-these types of issues
do not respect borders. US acid rain fell in
Canada destroying sugar maple forests which
upset the amount/quality of maple syrup
produced.
 Overconsumption
 Individuals consuming way more
resources than needed to survive –
sometimes more than is needed for a
high standard of life
 Industrialized nations make up 25%
of the world’s population, but use
75% of its resources.
 US makes up only 5% of world’s pop-
-causes 33% of world’s pollution!