Introduction to Biodiversity
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Transcript of Introduction to Biodiversity
![Page 1: Introduction to Biodiversity](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022082323/56812d1a550346895d920e8c/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Introduction to Biodiversity
Biology/Env S 204Spring 2009
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The variety of life
is biological diversity.
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Use of the term “biological diversity”in its current sense beganin 1980.
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Biodiversity = biological diversity
Coined in 1985 for a conference, the proceedings of which were published as the book “Biodiversity”edited by E. O. Wilson.
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What does it mean?
The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial and aquaticsystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; diversity withinspecies, among species, and of ecosystems;interactions at all levels among organisms.
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From Frankel et al., 1995, The conservation of plant biodiversity.
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Fundamental levels of organization
•Genetic
•Organismal
•Ecological
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Ecological Diversity
• Communities of species, their interactions
• Communities + resources (energy, nutrients, etc.) = ecosystem
• Measured primarily in terms of vegetation but relative abundance of species also important
• No unique definition and classification at the global level
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Organismal Diversity
• Individuals, species• Mostly measured by numbers of
species• Estimated 1.7 million species
described to date• Estimated total number ranges
from 2 to 50 million (up to 100 million) species
• Mostly microorganisms and insects
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Genetic diversity
• Heritable variation within and between populations of organisms
• Encoded in the sequence of 4 base-pairs
that make up DNA• Arises by mutations in genes and chromosomes• Very small fraction of genetic diversity is outwardly expressed
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Why care about what we can’t see?
• Genetic variation enables evolutionary
change and artificial selection• Estimated 109 different genes across the Earth’s biota• Represents a largely untapped
genetic library