Ch 6-3 Biodiversity
Biodiversity Biodiversity Biological diversity Sum total of the genetically based variety of all organisms in the biosphere SIMPLE TERMS – all genetically different organisms in a biosphere
Types of biodiversity Ecosystem diversity Species diversity Habitats, communities, and ecological processes Species diversity Different species 1.5 million species found so far Genetic diversity Different forms of genetic information carried by all organisms
Value of Biodiversity Why is biodiversity important? Earth’s greatest natural resource Food Industrial products Medicine
Threats to biodiversity So what can screw it up? HUMANS!!! Human activity can alter habitats Hunt to extinction Introduce toxic chemical to food web Introduce foreign species to new environments
Habitat alteration Humans destroy homes for organisms causing habitat fragmentation Split ecosystem Imagine tearing down a part of your house and putting a road. What happens to your lifestyle?
Demand for Wildlife products Mink coats, chinchilla jackets, ivory piano keys, so on… The more we demand, the more we pay for these items Monetarily Ecologically We destroy food webs!
What is left…
Pollution Biomagnification Fish-Eating Birds Magnification of DDT Concentration Pollution 10,000,000 Biomagnification Concentrations of harmful substances increase in organisms at higher trophic levels in the food chain or web The top consumer always gets “jacked” by the chemicals! Large Fish 1,000,000 Small Fish 100,000 10,000 Zooplankton 1000 Producers Water 1
Introduced species Invasive species Species that are not native to an ecosystem Competes with native species
What can we do? Conservation Protect species Protect habitat
Homework SA 6-3 #1-6
Classwork Conservation handout Handout of 6-3
Classwork – By yourself or pairs Create a conservation flyer – “How we can conserve biodiversity” 20 points Quick explanation of biodiversity (5 pts) How we are affecting the environment (5 pts) How we can help (5 pts) Drawings in color and catchy title (5 pts)