Transcript What is biodiversity?

Chapter 5
Biodiversity and
Conservation
What is biodiversity?
• The variety of
species in an area
• The more species
the more
biodiversity
Where is biodiversity found?
• Biodiversity
increases as you
move toward the
equator why?
• More rain and warm
temperature
• Tropical rainforest
has the most
biodiversity
• Tropical areas
contain over half of
all land species
Why is biodiversity important?
• 1. Organisms are
interdependent (depend on
each other to survive)
• A loss of a species will
affect other species
– (ex. Food chain)
• 2. It brings stability to the
area-removal of a species
affects the stability of others
• 3. provides resources to
man such as food and
medicine
– (more plants mean more
food)
What happens with loss of
biodiversity?
• Extinction- the disappearance of a species
when its members die (reproduction stops)
• Endangered species-when population
numbers become so low that extinction is
possible
• Threatened species- a population that is
likely to become endangered
Explain how each of the following
can reduce biodiversity
•
•
•
•
A. habitat loss
B. habitat fragmentation
C. acid rain
D. introduction of exotic species
• Info. starts on p. 116
• Leave this in notebook when complete
What decreases biodiversity?
• Main cause--Human population growth
• (man’s activities are destroying the
environment)
Man’s Threats to biodiversity:
• 1. habitat loss
– Land is cleared for agriculture, timber and
housing.
– Plants and animals lose a place to thrive
Other factors by man:
• 2. habitat
fragmentationseparation of wilderness
areas from other
wilderness areas
• Often due to the
developments in cities
• Increases extinction,
invasion by exotic
species, fires, and it
changes climates
Other factors of man:
• 3. edge effect-when
habitats meet other
habitats, there are
different conditions along
the boundaries
• Species from different
ecosystems come in
contact often bringing in
more predators to affect
populations
Other factors by man
• 4. habitat degradation- damage to
habitats by pollution
• 3 types of pollution: water, land and air
• ex. Burning fossil fuels cause acid rain
Other factors by man
• 5. Exotic species-introduction on nonnative
species into an area
• Ex. kudzu, Zebra mussels in Great lakes
• Due to them being new, they have no predators
or competition allowing them to grow fast and
take over
Why is it important to conserve
resources?
• Natural resource- parts of the environment that
are useful or necessary to living things
• Ex. Sunlight, water, air, food, trees
• Must take steps to keep resources available to
living things in order to survive
How do we conserve
biodiversity?
• Protect it how? (examples)
• 1.legal protection of species (ex. Endangered
species act)
• 2. preserve habitats (ex. Create natural
preserves and parks)
• 3. creating habitat corridors- strips of land
where animals can migrate (ex. Wetlands for
birds)
• 4. reintroduction programs- release organims
into areas where the species once lived (ex.
Bald eagle)