Name:
Block:
Date:
Biodiversity
Environmental Science
Biodiversity
 Biodiversity: the number of different ____________________ in a given area
Short for “________________________________________”
 There are ~__________ million species on Earth
Most are ____________________
Not all species are ____________________ (collected/described scientifically)
Keystone vs. Flagship Species
 Keystone species: species that are critical to the ____________________ of an ecosystem
Ex: sea otter – loss leads to loss of kelp beds
 Flagship species: well-known, ____________________ species
Usually used to attract support for ____________________________
Keystone species are not necessarily the best-known species in the environment!
Benefits of Biodiversity
 Genetic ____________________ increases the chance that some members will survive environmental
changes
 Variety of organisms used for ____________________, ____________________, ____________________, &
____________________
________ of prescription drugs derived from plants
Endangered vs. Threatened Species
 There have been ________ mass extinctions in Earth’s history
Takes ____________________ of years for biodiversity to come back after a mass extinction
 Large populations that easily adapt are ____________________ likely to become extinct
Ex: ____________________, ____________________
 Threatened species: species with a ____________________ population
 Endangered species: species that is likely to become ____________________ if protective measures not
taken
Humans & Extinction
 Humans accelerate rate of extinction due to ____________________ destruction, ____________________, &
____________________________ of species
 Introduce ____________________ species – species that are not native to a particular area
 Continue ____________________ – illegal hunting, fishing, harvesting, or trading of wildlife
Areas of Critical Biodiversity
 Different parts of the world have different amounts of species ____________________
 Lots of endemic species: ____________________ species found within a limited area
 ~________ of Earth’s species live in tropical rain forests
Only make up ~________% of Earth’s land surface
Most species have never been described
 Coral reefs very diverse but ~________% are threatened by human activities
Ex: ____________________, ____________________
 Organisms on islands become ____________________, ____________________ to surroundings, &
____________________ into new species
Biodiversity Hotspots
 Biodiversity ____________________: the most threatened areas of high species diversity
 Have ____________________ numbers of endemic species but threatened by ____________________ activities
 Most have lost at least ________% of original vegetation
 3 hotspots in the US: ____________________ floristic province, ____________________, &
Polynesia/Micronesia
 Lots of biodiversity in the US because many different types of environments & ecosystems
The Future of Biodiversity – Conservation Efforts
 ____________________ -____________________ Programs
Breeding species in captivity & reintroducing into natural habitats
 Preserving genetic material in ____________________ -____________________ banks
 ____________________, aquariums, parks, & gardens
 Problems with captive species:
Organisms have more difficulty surviving or reproducing in ____________________
Vulnerable to ____________________ ____________________
Small populations at risk of genetic disorders from ____________________
 Focus is now on conserving ____________________ instead of individual species, especially hotspots.
Legal Protection for Species – Endangered Species Act (____________)
 US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) compiles list of all endangered & threatened species –
____________________ species in 2005
 Anyone who harms, buys, or sells any part of listed species is subject to ____________________
 Federal government cannot carry out projects that jeopardizes listed species
 ____________________ plan developed for each listed species
Protect/restore ____________________
Controversial – does not always benefit humans
Habitat conservation plan: protects species through trade-offs or ____________________ agreements
International Cooperation
 International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN): conservation
on ____________________ level
__________________ __________________ of species in danger of extinction developed
Advises governments on how to manage natural resources
 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992)
AKA ____________________ ____________________
100 world leaders with 30,000 other participants
____________________ ____________________: preserves biodiversity & ensures sustainable & fair use of genetic
resources in all countries
Ecotourism
 Ecotourism: tourism that supports the ____________________ and sustainable ____________________ of
ecologically unique areas