Topic 3: Biodiversity and Conservation

Topic 3.1: Introduction to

biodiversity
Starter:
1. What is
biodiversity?
2. Name an ecosystem
with a high
biodiversity.
3. Name an ecosystem
with a low
biodiversity.
Biodiversity
What is all
the fuss
about?
* Why is biodiversity
so important
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=GK_
vRtHJZu4
* Cost of nature
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=A-
QpKiU-NHo
Biodiversity
• The variety of forms
of life on Earth
Habitat diversity
• The range of different habitats in an ecosystem.

• Fresh water
• Woodland
• Grassland
• Hills
• Heathland
Species diversity
• Product of two
variables:
• Species richness
(number of species)
• Species evenness
(relative proportions)
Genetic diversity
• Range of genetic material present in a species or
population.

• The higher the better.

• Means more
resistant to disease.
• Low genetic diversity
usually an indicator
of low population
size in recent history.
Diversity Indices
• Simpson’s Diversity Index

• When comparing similar communities low diversity

could indicate pollution, eutrophication or recent
colonization.

• Important to repeat investigations over a period of

time:
• Is biodiversity increasing or decreasing.
• Are conservation efforts needed?
Hot spots
Biodiversity hotspot – a region with a high level of
biodiversity that is under threat from human
activities.

• Tend to be near tropics

• There are regions in most biomes
• 70% loss already
• >1500 endemic plant species
Global distribution of hotspots
Critics say that hotspots:
• Focus on vascular plants and ignore animals.
• Do not represent total species diversity or richness.
• Focus on places that have already lost habitat, not
those that are losing it.
• Do not consider genetic diversity.
• Do not consider the value of services: e.g. water
resources.