BIOLOGY PROJECT

BIODIVERSITY*

Biodiversity: is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth.

• genetic

• species

• ecosystem

BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS*

Human uses 1.FOOD RESOURCES

3.Raw materials for manufacturingFibres

2. Drugs

WAXES

pesticides

lubricants

perfumes

Non-Human use• nutrient cycling• soil formation• watershed protection• waste disposal • Pollination

4. Rapidly growing leisure industry Eco-tourism which is based on the observation

of wild animals and wilderness habitats generates billions US dollars profit annually.

However, we humans are facing serious threats tothe survival of biodiversity.

Increasing numbers of species disappearing every day.

Extinction of different kinds of organisms has beenmuch greater than before. A variety of human activitiesare the main causes.

• oxygen production • carbon dioxide absorption• climate regulation

Current rates of extinctions are alarmingly high.

The extinction rate for birds and mammals was about 1 species every decade from 1600 to 1700.But, it rose 4 species every year between 1986 and 1990.

Apparently, the rate of extinction is accelerating.

CAUSES* 1.Habitat degradation

(1) destruction (2) pollution e.g. pesticides, sewages, combustions (3) human disruption e.g. mining for fossil fuels (4) habitat fragmentation (diving up the habitat into small isolated areas) (5) over-hunting

Rapid human population growth

(1)Demand on fooddestruction of habitat of animal for cultivationremove various species of plant of that habitatcultivate single species of plant cannot maintain the gene pool

(2)Demand on placesdeforestation / loggingcommercial building, building up the societies.supply furniturehave to kill or expel animals

Cultivation for foodfarmingAfrican elephants lost a large piece of landNumber of African elephant decreasefall to the edge of extinction p.s. Overexploitation for elephants’ tusk (ivory)

Global warming climate change melting of ice in polar Polar bears cannot find floating ice in Arctic Ocean

2.Species overexploitation

Species that are hunted or harvested by humans. There are many examples of overexploitation: (1)passenger pigeons (2)bison (3)sharks e.g. fins (4)commercial fish such as Atlantic bluefin tuna (5)coral fishes e.g. Humphead wrasse(蘇眉 ). (6)lion,fox,raccoon e.g. fur (7)elephant e.g. Craft work: Ivory tusk

3.Introduced species

The introduction of exotic species is a potent threat to biodiversity. the endemic species in that ecosystem that have not evolved to cope with the exotic species became the prey of the exotic ones. E.g. African bees, Dodo bird

CONSEQUENCE*

Threatens the economy The depletion of fish stocks from overfishing and

illegal fishing to agricultural activities polluting river

basins

Economy is directly dependent on natural resources

for their livelihoods

Affecting the life support

Collapse of ecosystem -Food web is affected

-The keystone species may be removed

-Greater competition and predation

SOLUTION* Policy level -Banning of Over-exploitation

-The bodies such as the International Whaling

Commission and the Convention on International

Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Conservation -Green lobbies and Government

-conservation of endanger organisms

-116 species of European farmland birds are now of conservation concern Green lobbies and Government

Sustainable development -unprecedented collective effort is needed to return

human use of natural resources to within sustainable

limits

-maintaining a certain process of ecosystems and

biodiversity

-A long-sighted policy which is benefic for our

offspring and also the environment

-resources must be used at a rate at which they can

be replenished

-maintain the gene pool continuously

E.g. eco-municipalities, sustainable cities

Smart growth -An urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl

E.g.(1)neighborhood schools (2)complete streets (3)mixed-use development (4)regional considerations of sustainability

Our response as individuals -Change our Lifestyle

-E.g. Don’t use the wood from sustainable forestry

and recycle our news-paper and don’t use the

toxic chemicals which are harmful to wildlife in

our home

-Caring for the living world around us

-being volunteers and supporting the conservation

organizations or green lobbies