Biodiversity Hotspots Lesson Aims To understand why hotspots are under threat

Refresh! What is a hotspot? A biodiversity hotspot is an area containing a huge number of species, a large percentage of which are endemic. Hospots have been described as ‘the most remarkable places on Earth and the most threatened’. They cover less than 2% of the Earth’s surface, yet they contain 44% of the world’s plant species and 35% of its animal species.

Where are they found?

Case Study: Daintree Rainforest

The Wet Tropics It runs parallel to the Great Barrier Reef Highest levels of biodiversity and endemism in all Australia It is a World Heritage Site (1988) It covers 900,000 ha (nearly half the size of Wales

World Heritage Status As an outstanding example of the major stages in the Earth’s evolutionary history As an outstanding example of significant ongoing ecological and biological processes As an example of superlative natural phenomena Containing significant habitats for the conservation of natural biodiversity

Facts 1.75m tall Related to the emu In 1993 only 54 birds left In 2008 there were 500 They can kill – with their claws Why might they be endangered?

What do you think? – Key Question Why worry about the Cassowary? There must be more important things to think about that it’s survival?

Why is the Daintree rainforest so special? TASK – Using the statements see if you can classify them into three categories, which help you answer the above question

Species – Idiot Fruit It is found only in Daintree The seed produce a poison when digested which is similar to strychnine (a deadly poison)

Species – Ulysses Butterfly Native to Northern Australia The blue wings can be seen from a great distance

The Value of a Global Ecosystem What three ways can we value an ecosystem?

Direct and Indirect Values Direct Values = the uses humans put biodiversity in terms of consumption or production to include food, fuel, medicine, timber, hunting and eoctourism Indirect Value = the services biodiversity provides such as soil formation, supporting the food chain and the role in the hydrological cycle

What is the value of a coral reef? Value of Coral

Homework Activity Produce a similar spider diagram for the value of tropical rainforests