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Name:___________________________
Unit 2B Notes Packet: Biodiversity
Vocabulary terms are in italics
Chapter 10, Section 1: What is Biodiversity (p.259-262)
I.A World Rich in Biodiversity
Biodiversity- refers to the ________________ of variety of different species in a given area.
A. Unknown Diversity
-The number of known species to science today is around ______________________. Most of
these species are insects. Unknown species exist in wildernesses, deep in the oceans, and receive
______ attention than large, familiar species.
B. Levels of Diversity
Biodiversity can be studied and described at 3 levels:

Species Diversity

Ecosystem Diversity and

Genetic Diversity.
Gene- ________________________________________________________________________
II. Benefits of Biodiversity
A. Species are Connected to Ecosystem
Keystone Species- _________________________________________________________
B. Species and Population Survival
-
The level of genetic diversity within different populations is very important factor in
species survival because ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
C. Medical, Industrial, and Agricultural Uses__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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D. Ethics, Aesthetics, and Recreation
-
Some people believe that we should preserve biodiversity for ethical reasons. People also
value biodiversity for aesthetics or personal enjoyment such as pets, camping or watching
wildlife.
Ecotourism- a form of tourism that
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 10, Section 2: Biodiversity at Risk (p.263-269)
I. Current Extinctions
A. Species Prone to Extinction
Endangered Species- ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Threatened Species- ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
II. How do Humans Cause Extinctions?
A. ____________________ Destruction and Fragmentation
-Humans use more and more land to build homes and harvest resources. In this process,
we destroy and fragment the habitats of other species.
B. Invasive Exotic Species
- An exotic species is a species that __________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
C. Harvesting, Hunting and Poaching
- Excessive hunting and harvesting of species can lead to
_________________________.
-Poaching- ___________________________________________________
D. Pollution
- Humans use chemicals such as pesticides, ___________ agents, ________, and other
chemicals that end up into food _________ around the globe.
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III. Areas of Critical Biodiversity
Endemic Species: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Tropical Rainforest
-It covers last _____% of the Earth’s land surface. _________ of the world’s species live
in the tropical rainforest. Many of the species living in these forests have never been
described.
B. Coral Reefs and Coastal Ecosystems
-Coral reefs - occupy a ________ fraction of the marine environment however; it
contains the _________________ of biodiversity. The coral reefs provide the people with food,
tourism, coastal protection and sources of new chemicals. The coral reefs are threatened by
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
C. Islands
- When an island rises from the sea, it is colonized by a limited number of species from the
mainland.
D. Biodiversity Hotspots
hotspots - ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________. It includes
mostly tropical ____________________, coastal areas, and _________________..
E. Biodiversity in the United States
- The U.S. includes a wide variety of unique ecosystems: Florida Everglades, California
coastal region, Hawaii, Midwestern prairies and the Pacific Northwest forests.
Case Study: A Genetic Gold Rush in the Rain Forests
Many people see the Amazon Rainforest as a money generating place. Many scientists try to
search for undiscovered species, species that are getting extinct and also for the enlightenment of
the usage of some plants for medicinal purposes (the biotechnical industry). The gene _______
in this rainforest is very ___________, which allows for the researchers and scientists to discover
new ___________ and new ways to improve our existence. Furthermore, in the Amazon
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Rainforest, there are native tribes, such as Yanomamo which are connected with the rainforest in
a special way. The natives know many varieties of species in the ecosystem where they live.
They use their knowledge of some plants to combine their chemicals and form complex
chemicals used for food, drugs, weapons and art.
Chapter 10, Section 3: The Future of Biodiversity (p.270-275)
I. Saving Species One at a Time
-
When a species is on the verge of extinction, some concern people make efforts to save
the last few individuals.
A. Captive Breeding Programs
-
These programs restore the population of a species that are on the
_________________________________ by breeding species in captivity and then
reintroduce them to their natural habitats.
B. Preserving Genetic Material
-
One way to save the essence of a species is by preserving its _________________
material. This is done by collecting germ plasm (a genetic material collected from
reproduction, or germ, cells from plants or animals.
C. Zoos, Aquariums, Parks, and Gardens
-
The original function of the zoos was to put the exotic animals on display. Presently, zoos
help __________________________ animals to survive and _________________. In
botanical gardens, many plant species are saved from extinction and these gardens
represent a museums of the world’s biodiversity.
D. More Study Needed
-
If we save a few individuals, it will not be enough to preserve a species. Those
individuals rely on inbreeding, which as a result, the gene pool is lowered and if this
species are affected by a disease or different kind of stress, they might die out.
II. Preserving Habitat and Ecosystems
A. Conservation Strategies
-
Most conservationists protect the whole ecosystem, compared to just one particular
species. Earth’s biosphere depends on the ecosystems being __________________. Some
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strategies are to focus on the _____ spots, and the other is to identify areas of native
habitats that can be preserved, restored and linked into large networks.
III. Legal Protection for Species
-Many nations have laws to prevent the extinction of species. In the U.S. these laws are the
strongest and most effective.
A. U.S. Laws
- In 1973, the U.S. Congress passed the _______________________ _____________ Act.
This law is designed to protect ___________ and_______________ species that are in
danger of extinction.
B. Recovery and Habitat Conservation Plans
- Plans that propose to protect or restore habitat for each species. However, it gets
controversial to stop humans from usage of a particular land.
Habitat Conservation Plan: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
International Cooperation
-
At the global level, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (IUCN) facilitates efforts to protect species and habitats. The
organization has 200 government agencies and 700 private conservation organizations.
A. International Trade and Poaching
-
One product of the IUCN has been an international treaty called CITES (the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species). The CITES was the first effective effort
to stop the slaughter of African elephants.
B. Biodiversity Treaty
-
One of the most ambitious efforts to tackle environmental issues on a worldwide scale
was the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth
Summit). Biodiversity Treaty is an international agreement that states to protect
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
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C. Private Conservation Efforts
-
Many private organizations work to protect species worldwide, sometimes more than the
government agencies.
IV. Balancing Human Needs
-
Attempts to protect species often come into conflict with the interest of the world’s
human inhabitants. The value of a particular species in an ecosystem should be
understood as an important segment of the survival of that species. If we as humans do
not ________________ from a species, it doesn’t mean that that particular species
does not have a particular function in its ecosystem.