Chapter 5 Biodiversity & Conservation

Biodiversity is the variety of life in an area that is determined by the total number of different species. Biodiversity is the variety of life in an area that is determined by the total number of different species. A lot of different species means a lot of A lot of different species means a lot of biodiversity. biodiversity. Biodiversity is good for the environment Biodiversity is good for the environment An ecosystem with biodiversity is a healthy one An ecosystem with biodiversity is a healthy one because it means that it is in balance and can support a lot of different organism The two areas with the greatest biodiversity are the rainforest & coral reefs.

Biodiversity is good for humans because we get many different products from many different organisms. Biodiversity is good for humans because we get many different products from many different organisms. Food: meat, eggs, milk, veggies Food: meat, eggs, milk, veggies Medicine: penicillin Medicine: penicillin Clothing: cotton & hemp Clothing: cotton & hemp Wood: lumber & paper Wood: lumber & paper Oxygen: from plants Oxygen: from plants Protection: erosion, floods, good soil Protection: erosion, floods, good soil Balanced ecosystems with biodiversity looks nice! Balanced ecosystems with biodiversity looks nice!

Extinction (when a species is eliminated)  c auses a decrease in biodiversity. Organisms have always naturally gone extinct BUT humans are causing them to go extinct MUCH faster by destroying the habitats organism live in… –Bulldozing land to make houses, roads & buildings –Polluting the land, water and air –Chopping down forests for wood & paper –Poaching animals

LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: EXTINCT = the disappearance of a species when the last member dies EXTINCT = the disappearance of a species when the last member dies ENDANGERED = when numbers of a species become so low that extinction is possible. ENDANGERED = when numbers of a species become so low that extinction is possible.

THREATENED = when a species is likely to become endangered THREATENED = when a species is likely to become endangered threatened  endangered  extinct threatened  endangered  extinct

Threats to Biodiversity Habitat destruction / loss  Habitat destruction / loss  –One of the biggest threats! –Ex. clearing the Amazonian rainforest for farming and for firewood Habitat fragmentation  Habitat fragmentation  –The separation of wilderness areas from other wilderness areas –This creates “islands” of habitat

Habitat degradation  Damage to a habitat caused by air, water, or land pollution Damage to a habitat caused by air, water, or land pollution –Ex. Air pollution causes acid rain

–Ex. Air pollution has damaged the ozone layer, which blocks UV radiation  leads to more skin cancer

Ex. Air pollution causes the Greenhouse Effect, which leads to global warming Ex. Air pollution causes the Greenhouse Effect, which leads to global warming