1 Chapter 5: Biomes and Biodiversity Principles of Environmental Science - Inquiry and Applications, 3rd Edition by William and Mary Ann Cunningham Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

2

3 Part 1: Biomes Biomes Broadly defined life zones Environments with similar climates, topographies, soil conditions, and biological communities Distribution mainly dependent on temperature and precipitation

4 ADD FIG. 5.1

5 Biomes of the World

6 ADD FIG. 5.4

7

8

9

10

11

12

13 Part 2: Biodiversity Genetic diversity - variety of different versions of the same genes within a species Species diversity - number of different kinds of organisms within an ecosystem Ecological diversity - complexity of a biological community (number of niches, trophic levels, etc.) Biodiversity - the variety of living things - three types essential:

14 How many species are there?

15 Biodiversity Hotspots Most of the world's biodiversity concentrations are near the equator (tropical rainforests, coral reefs).

16 Part 3: How do we benefit from biodiversity? Food Drugs and medicines Ecological benefits Aesthetic and cultural benefits

17 Fig. 5.21

18

19 Aesthetic and cultural benefits Bird watching and other wildlife observation contribute more than $29 billion each year to the U.S. economy.

20 Part 4: What Threatens Biodiversity? Extinction - the elimination of a species Natural process - one species lost every 10 years Process been accelerated by human impacts on populations and ecosystems E.O. Wilson - we are currently losing thousands of species a year

21

22 Part 5: Human-Caused Reductions in Biodiversity Habitat destruction and fragmentation Hunting and fishing Commercial products and live specimens Predator and pest control Exotic species introduction Diseases Pollution Genetic assimilation

23 About 200 years ago, the American passenger pigeon was probably the world's most abundant bird. Population: 3-5 billion Over hunting and habitat destruction caused its extinction.

24 Trade in Products from Endangered Species

25 Trade in Wildlife About 75% of all saltwater tropical aquarium fish sold come from coral reefs of the Philippines and Indonesia, where they are commonly caught with dynamite or cyanide.

26 Part 6: Protecting Biodiversity Hunting and fishing laws The Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery plans Reintroductions Minimum viable population Private land and critical habitat Reauthorization of the ESA International wildlife treaties

27