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Biodiversity

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Biodiversity

  • The number of different species in an area.

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  • Factors that affect biodiversity in an ecosystem include area, climate, and diversity of niches.

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Area

  • Larger areas contain more diversity than smaller areas.

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Climate

  • Number of species increase the closer to the equator.

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  • Longer growing seasons mean more plants and food.

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Niche Diversity

  • The many different jobs that animals or plants can do in an area.

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  • Example: Coral reefs are home to many fish

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Value of Biodiversity

  • Why do we have to have all these diverse species?

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  • Does it matter if there are 50 or 5,000 species of ferns in a rain forest?

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Economic Value

  • Many plants and animals are important for our survival!

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  • Companies also make money by having tours of diverse areas.
    • Ecotourism

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Value to the Ecosystem

  • All the species in an ecosystem are connected to one another.
  • Keystone species- a species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem.

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Gene Pool Diversity

  • Genes- are the structures in an organisms cells that carry its hereditary information.

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  • Every organism has own set of genes.

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  • The more diverse the genes the more likely a species can adapt to fight diseases, parasites, and even droughts.

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Extinction of Species

  • The disappearance of all members of a species from Earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ru-NECVEA

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Causes of Extinction

  • Human activities can also threaten biodiversity.
  • These activities include habitat destruction, poaching, pollution, and introduction of exotic species.
  • Earthquakes or volcanoes can damage and wipe out populations or even some species.

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Habitat Destruction

  • The loss of a habitat.

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  • This is the leading cause of extinction.

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  • Habitat fragmentation- breaking larger habitats into smaller, isolated pieces, or fragments

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Poaching

  • The illegal killing or removal of wildlife species.

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  • Animals sold for skin, fur, teeth, and claws to make items.

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Pollution

  • Species can even be endangered because of pollution.
  • Pollution can damage home or food source.

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Exotic Species

  • Exotic Species can take over areas by eating other species food or eating the other species.
  • No natural predators.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InENM6fwIwE

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Protecting Biodiversity

  • Many programs to protect biodiversity combine scientific and legal approaches

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  • There are captive breeding, laws and treaties, and habitat preservation ways that can help protect animals.

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Captive Breeding

  • Is the mating of animals in zoos or wildlife preserves.
  • Only hope for some animals to survive since so few of these animals are left today.

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Laws and Treaties

  • In the United States, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 prohibits importing or trading products made from threatened or endangered species.

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Habitat Preservation

  • The most effective way to preserve biodiversity is to protect whole ecosystems.

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  • Beginning in 1872 with Yellowstone National Park.