WARM UP:
What
is biodiversity?
What parts of the world do you
think have high/low
biodiversity?
LEARNING GOALS AND ACTIVITIES



Describe the diversity of
species types on Earth
List areas of the world
that have high levels of
biodiversity and many
threats to species
Explain four ways in
which biodiversity is
important to
ecosystems and
humans



PowerPoint
Video
Calculating the genetic
diversity of the class
BIODIVERSITY ON EARTH

Number of species known to science:
 Approx.

Scientists predict there are:
 Over

2 million
10 million species
Most of these known species are:
 Insects

Where do these unknown species exist?
 Wilderness,

deep oceans, cities
Which species do we know more/less about?
 More:
trees and animals, Less: Insects, fungi
BIODIVERSITY
 Biodiversity:
the variety of organisms in a
given area, the genetic variation within a
population, the variety of species in a
community, or the variety of communities
in an ecosystem.

Variety: different forms or types
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GK_V
RTHJZU4
HOW DO WE MEASURE BIODIVERSITY?
LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY
Species- variety of different organisms
 Genetic- variability within a species (DNA)
 Ecosystem- variety of habitats and organisms

SPECIES DIVERSITY
GENETIC DIVERSITY
ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY
AREAS OF CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY
 Areas
of the world that contain a
greater diversity of species than other
areas.
 What
is an example?
AREAS OF CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY
 Tropical
Rain Forests
 Coral Reefs
 Islands
 Vocabulary:
Endemic
Species: species that are
native to and found only within a
limited area
GIRAFFES ON THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH
KANGAROOS AND KOALAS IN AUSTRALIA
DARWIN’S FINCHES ARE ENDEMIC TO THE
GALAPAGOS
BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY
1. SPECIES ARE CONNECTED TO ECOSYSTEMS
Species help balance the cycles of energy and
nutrients
 Keystone species: a species that is critical to
the functioning of the ecosystem which it lives
because it affects the survival and abundance
of many other species in its community


Example: Sea otter
SEA OTTER
Sea otters eat sea urchins
 Sea urchins eat kelp
 1800’s otters were hunted and disappeared
 Sea urchin population grew without predators
 Kelp disappeared
 Found more otters
 Otters ate urchins
 Kelp beds regenerated

2. SPECIES AND POPULATION SURVIVAL
 Genetic
variation increases the chances
that members of a population will survive
environmental pressures or changes
 Genetic
diversity: all of the different genes
within members of the population
2. SPECIES POPULATION AND SURVIVAL
Bottleneck:
When
population shrinks, its genetic
diversity decreases
When population increases again, there
is a smaller variety of genes
New populations chances of survival
are low
WHAT IS THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF OUR CLASS?
3. MEDICAL, INDUSTRIAL & AGRICULTURAL USES
 Humans
use organisms for food, clothing,
shelter, and medicine
¼ of drugs are made from plants
Antibiotics made from chemicals found
in fungi
Biodiversity allows some crops to be
save from disease – preventing famine
4. ETHICS, AESTHETICS & RECREATION
Ethics – species have the right to exist whether
or not they have any value
 Aesthetics and Recreation –
 Ecotourism: a form of tourism that supports
the conservation and sustainable
development of ecologically unique areas

ECOTOURISM EXAMPLE

Vieques, Puerto Rico
MANGROVES
BIOLUMINESCENT BAY
VIDEO- WHY ARE BEES DISAPPEARING?
http://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spiva
k_why_bees_are_disappearing.html
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
THREAT 1: HABITAT DESTRUCTION
THREAT 2: POACHING, OVERHUNTING
THREAT 3: INVASIVE SPECIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLH1qLCv
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WHAT MAKES A SPECIES INVASIVE?
 Non-native,
or alien species- doesn’t
belong in particular ecosystem
 Generalist- thrive in a wide range of
habitats, reproduce quickly
 Few to no predators- can thrive
unchecked
 Outcompete endemic species for
resources- sunlight, food, space, water
THREAT 4: POLLUTION
THREAT 5: OVER-HUNTING AND OVERHARVESTING
THREAT 6: GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
THREAT 6: GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
 If
fossil fuel emission trends continue, the
world may be 6 deg. C warmer (11 deg F)
by 2100 (IPCC)
 The Earth may lose 25% of all land
species by 2100.
 If species cannot adapt, they go extinct
 Other species may take their place,
including invasives
WITH YOUR LAB GROUP:
Read
each of the situation
cards and place them on the
board under the correct “Threat
to Biodiversity” category
READING: INVASIVE GRASSES FOR BIOFUEL?
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
WITH YOUR LAB GROUP:
Research
your assigned method to
preserve biodiversity. Write 2-3
sentences or bullet points
explaining it on a large piece of
paper. (use the textbook or
computer at your lab station)
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Captive Breeding Programs
Preserving Genetic Material
(germplasms)
Endangered Species Act and Habitat
Conservation Plan (2 groups)
CITES
U.S. Wilderness Act