LOGO

Unit 1: Diversity of Living ThingsUnit 1: Diversity of Living Things

Lesson 1: Intro to Biodiversity

Learning Goals

Describe the nature of biological diversity and the biological species concept

Outline some of the primary human-caused threats to Earth’s biodiversity

Biological Diversity or Biodiversity

The number and variety of species and ecosystems on Earth

Ex: a rainforest has more biodiversity than the tundra

Measuring Biodiversity

the number of types of plants, animals and microorganisms

The fundamental unit of biodiversity is the SPECIES

Species

population of individuals capable of breeding freely with each other under natural conditions Ex: under natural conditions, lions breed with lions; robins breed

with robins

10000 species discovered each year

> 1.7 million identified and described by scientists

Scientists estimate that there are 13 million different species in the world, but that estimate has been known to vary from 3 million to 100 million

Of all the species that have ever lived on Earth, how many are living today?

less than 1% 1% 10% 20% 50%

0.1%, so in other words 99.9% of all species that have ever lived are extinct!

Species Survival

Microorganisms Often single celled Bacteria and protists

Heterotrophs Cannot make their own food Feed on other living or dead organisms

Autotrophs Make their own food using suns energy

Interactions Between Species

Food supply

Protection

Transportation

Reproduction

Hygiene

Digestion

Biodiversity Includes

Genetic diversity

Species diversity

Structural diversity

Genetic Diversity

The genetic variability among organisms – usually referring to individuals of the same species

Species Diversity

The variety of species and the number of individuals of each species The larger the population, the more biologically

diverse and thus healthier

Species & Genetic Diversity

Result from:

Hybridization

Evolutionary Change

Structural Diversity

The range of physical sizes, shapes and distribution of the individuals, as well as habitats in an ecosystem

Impacts of Threats to BD

Threatened food supply

Elimination of sources of medicine

Economic impact: tourism

Disruption of biogeochemical cycles Carbon, nitrogen, etc.

Species extinction …

Classwork

1. Suggest three examples of species that clearly fit the definition of a species based on the biological species concept. Explain your choices.

2. Explain why some species must be defined based on their morphology rather than on reproductive behaviour.

3. Analyze some ways in which the loss of biodiversity might affect the following industriesa) agriculture and forestry b) tourism c) healthcare

4. E.O. Wilson estimates that we are losing 27000 species per year. Based on this number, how long will it take for 1 million species to become extinct?

5. What are some of the primary human activities responsible for the increased rate of extinction?

6. Explain how climate change is affecting biodiversity in the Arctic. Why are changes in the Arctic ecosystems significant for the rest of the world?