Biodiversity

04/17/23 1Biodiversity.ppt

Biodiversity

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 2

• Variety of living things, number of kinds

• Ecological diversity– different habitats, niches,

species interactions• Species diversity

– different kinds of organisms, relationships among species

• Genetic diversity– different genes &

combinations of genes within populations

Benefits of Biodiversity

• Ecosystem functions• Ecosystem services

• Cleaning water,

• Cleaning air,

• Habitat & breeding areas for wildlife, …

• Aesthetic and cultural benefits

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 3

Benefits of Biodiversity• New food sources

– Grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 4

Benefits of Biodiversity

• Medicines• Plants

• Jellyfish & sea anemones

• Nudibranchs • Marine slugs

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 5

Biodiversity• How much biodiversity

1.7—2.0 million speciesEstimates to 100 million

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 6

Biodiversity

Biodiversity.ppt 7

• Where is the biodiversity– Everywhere

• Every continent and habitat has unique life forms

– Concentrated in the tropics• Panama: > 500 species of

breeding birds

• Arctic: 50-100 species– Dense concentrations

04/17/23

Threats to Biodiversity

• Extinction and population reductions– Hunting and overharvesting

• Tiger

• Dodo

• Whales

• Sharks

– Habitat loss

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 8

Threats to Biodiversity

• Extinction and population reductions– Pollution

– Climate change

– Invasive species

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 9

Protecting Biodiversity

04/17/23 Biodiversity.ppt 10

• How can we protect biodiversity– Stop overharvesting

• Sustainable yield

• Hunting & fishing laws (every state ?)– in developing nations ?

– Protect habitat • Refuges, parks, preserves

– Endangered Species Act