Chapter 7: Biodiversity and

Conservation

Chapter 7 Goals and Objectives Differentiate the components of biodiversity Explain two ways in which biodiversity varies

across groups or geography Describe the economic benefit of biodiversity Describe how biodiversity is monitored and explain

current biodiversity trends List the major causes of biodiversity loss Explain legal actions nations can take to protect

biodiversity Explain the goal of species survival plans Describe three strategies for managing whole

ecosystems and habitats

Chapter 7 Biodiversity Big Ideas

There is a huge diversity of life on Earth that is critical to all species. .

There are some factors about species that make them prone to extinction.

Human activities are causing large numbers of species to go extinct.

Chapter 7: Biodiversity1. How many species live on Earth?2. Describe the types of biodiversity.3. Explain why biodiversity is important.4. What does it mean when a species is threatened or

endangered?5. What makes some species more prone to extinction?6. What are the largest threats to biodiversity?7. What areas are likely to have high biodiversity?8. List and describe efforts to save individual species.9. Explain the advantages of protecting entire ecosystems

rather than individual species.10. Define the following terms: biodiversity, genes, keystone

species, ecotourism, endangered species, threatened species, exotic species, endemic species, poaching Endangered Species Act, habitat conservation plans, CITES

Chapter 7: Biodiversity page 200 - 1. What does it mean when a species is threatened

or endangered?2. What makes some species more prone to

extinction?3. What are the largest threats to biodiversity?4. What areas are likely to have high biodiversity?5. List and describe efforts to save individual

species.6. Explain the advantages of protecting entire

ecosystems rather than individual species.7. Define the following terms: endangered species,

threatened species, exotic species, endemic species, poaching Endangered Species Act, habitat conservation plans, CITES

Answer these 3 questions and define the terms. Chapter 7 page 200

1. How many species live on Earth?2. Describe the types of biodiversity.3. Explain why biodiversity is

important.4. Terms: biodiversity, genes,

keystone species, ecotourism

• About 1.7 million species are known

• Estimates vary from greater than 10 million

•Why so many unknown?

Biodiversity

Which species rule the world?

Biodiversity Biodiversity: the

number of different species in a given area

3 Types of Biodiversity

Species Biodiversity: number of different species in an area

Ecosystem Diversity: how many types of habitats in an area

Genetic Diversity: the number of genes in all members of a population

3 Types of Biodiversity

Genetic diversity: Differences in DNA among individuals

Species diversity: Variety of species in a given area

Ecosystem diversity: Variety of habitats, ecosystems, communities

Ecosystem diversity often leads to species diversity and often genetic diversity

Did You Know? In general, biodiversity increases toward the equator.

What is a gene?

Gene: a piece of DNA code for a specific trait inherited

Tall, short, brown eyes, etc.

Genetic Diversity among corn

Benefits of Diversity Genetic Diversity

Key To Survival small isolated

populations unlikely to survive

Genetic mutations from inbreeding can occur

More diversity = more likely to survive

Benefits of DiversityKeystone Species:

species that is critical to ecosystem survival

Sea otter Grey Wolf Beaver Krill

Keystone Species

This Food Web Depends Upon Krill

KRILL

Benefits of Diversity: Ecosystem Services

Intact environments provide ecosystem services, such as water purification and pest control.

High biodiversity increases stability of communities and ecosystems, enabling them to perform services.

Stable ecosystems are resistant and resilient.

Ecosystem Services Medicine Industrial Agricultural Ecotourism Ethics Aesthetics Recreation

Ecosystem Services

Medical, Industrial, Agricultural uses

Food, cloths, shelter, chemicals and medicine often comes from variety of organismsSee table 1 pages 261

Ecosystem Services: Medical

Medicine: Organisms contain compounds that are useful for treating disease. Did You Know? Of the

150 most prescribed drugs in the United States, 118 originated in nature.

The yew tree, an original source of Taxol, a cancer-fighting drug

Ecosystem Services

Ethics, Aesthetics and Recreation

Moral, religious purposes for all species

Personal enjoyment

Dolphin Tour

Ecosystem Services

Ecotourism: tourisms that supports conservation

Wildlife, birding, wilderness hiking

People make $ by having people view wildlife

Section 1 Review

How many species live on Earth? Describe the types of biodiversity. Explain why biodiversity is important. Terms: biodiversity, genes, keystone

species, ecotourism

Section 2: Biodiversity at Risk

What does it mean when a species is threatened or endangered?

What makes some species more prone to extinction?

What are the largest threats to biodiversity?

What areas are likely to have high biodiversity?

Terms: endangered species, threatened species, exotic species, endemic species, poaching

Biodiversity has increased over time, but mass extinctions are also natural events (5 major events)

How do we get this data?

Extinctions Species gone forever NORMAL Mass Extinction: short

period of time when large number of species go extinct (65 MYA)

Currently in mass extinction…caused by humans

Rapid climate change

• There have been five mass extinctions in Earth’s history.

• Each time, more than 1/5 of all families and 1/2 of all species have gone extinct.

Current Extinctions• Endangered: At serious risk of extinction

• Threatened: Likely to become endangered soon through all or part of its range

Biodiversity at Risk

The current extinction rate is

100 to 1000 times greater than the natural background rate.

In 2009, 1321; Currently there are 2141 species in the U.S. were classified as endangered or threatened.

Extinctions

Certain traits make some species more vulnerable:

Small populations Specialized Need large range Migration Valuable to humans

Species squeezed into smaller and smaller fragmented habitat

Current Extinctions

TNC estimates 1/3rd of 21,000 identified U.S. animal and plant species are vulnerable.

30,000 of the world’s species and 1,200 in U.S. are officially endangered.

Types of endangered species worldwide

How do humans cause extinctions?

“HIPPO”Habitat

destruction Invasive

speciesPopulation

(humans) growth

PollutionOverharvesting

Habitat Loss/Fragmentation

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation: Patches of suitable habitat surrounded by unsuitable habitat

In general, larger habitat fragments can support greater biodiversity than smaller fragments

Humans Causing Extinctions

Habitat Destruction causes 75-80%

Large creatures need lot of land

Invasive Species: exotic species not native to area can destroy an ecosystem

Invasive Species

Invasive species can out-compete and displace native species.

Humans Causing Extinction Over-harvesting

excessive hunting (bison in U.S., fish)

Poaching: illegal hunting

Common in poor countries for food, medicines, income

Pollution air, water, land

Causes of Extinction Climate Change

Increasingly becoming a factor in biodiversity loss

Unlike the other factors, climate change will have a potentially global effect on biodiversity.

Areas of Critical Biodiversity

Hotspots: areas threatened that contain high biodiversity

Roughly 25 worldwide

Madagascar Parts of California

Hotspots

Large numbers of endemic species – An endemic species is a species native to that specific area.

US Hotspots

Areas of Critical Biodiversity

Tropical Rain Forests

Coral Reefs Coastal

Ecosystems IslandsWhy these

areas????

THINK about THIS

Just 2.3% of the planet’s land surface is home to 50% of the world’s plant species and 42% of its vertebrate animal species.

Section 2 Review

What does it mean when a species is threatened or endangered?

What makes some species more prone to extinction?

What are the largest threats to biodiversity? What areas are likely to have high

biodiversity? Terms: endangered species, threatened

species, exotic species, endemic species, poaching

Section 3: Future of Biodiversity

List and describe efforts to save individual species.

Explain the advantages of protecting entire ecosystems rather than individual species.

Describe the main parts of the Endangered Species Act.

Terms: Endangered Species Act, habitat conservation plans, CITES

Saving Individual Species

Captive Breeding Programs: breeding species in captivity with hopes of reintroducing into native habitats

Germ Plasm: saving genetic material for possible future use

(seeds, eggs, DNA)Zoos and Aquariums

Saving Individual Species

Does little to preserve species

Captive individuals may not survive in wild

Small populations have difficult time with inbreeding, diseases

Last resorts

Preserving Habitat and Ecosystems

Most effective way to save a species is protect its habitat.

Some species require large areas

What about when they leave protected areas? (Wolves in Yellowstone

Legal Protections

Many countries have laws to protect wildlife

Some weak some strong

U.S. law Endangered Species Act (ESA)

ESAEndangered Species

Act Passed 1973 Protect plant and

animals in danger of extinction

List created of those threatened and endangered

Currently 1,300+ listed

ESA

• Forbids governments and citizens from harming listed species and habitats

• Forbids trade in products made from listed species

ESA Protects listed

species from harm No development

that harms listed species

Can a Shopping Mall be built where listed species lives?

Spotted Owl

ESA Species recovery plan

must be made Habitat Conservation

Plans: plans to protect species habitat

Why do you think ESA may be controversial?

Who would not like this law?

ESAESA: 1973-2004: 92 to

1,300+ species listed 37 Species removed

(14 recovery, 8 extinctions, rest discovered more)

60% plants, 40% animals

TNC says 1/3rd of all U.S. species…30,000 not 1,260

Wildlife Corridors Connect habitat

fragments enabling once-isolated populations to interbreed

Interbreeding increases genetic diversity.

Yellowstone to Yukon

Internationally

CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) illegal to trade endangered species

Ivory Tusks

Internationally

Much more difficult among may poorer countries

International treaties hard to ratify, verify

Oceans of particular concern

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/

Section 3 Review

List and describe efforts to save individual species.

Explain the advantages of protecting entire ecosystems rather than individual species.

Describe the main parts of the Endangered Species Act.

Terms: Endangered Species Act, habitat conservation plans, CITES

Chapter 7 Biodiversity Review

There is a huge diversity of life on Earth that is critical to all species. .

There are some factors about species that make them prone to extinction.

Human activities are causing large numbers of species to go extinct.

Chapter 7 Test TuesdayTurn it in TODAY

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