Please pass back the new objective sheet and read the board! Please get out paper for notes. Dig it!

A RE THESE WORTH PROTECTING ?

W HY SHOULD WE PROTECT BIODIVERSITY ?

T HREE T YPES OF B IODIVERSITY Ecosystem biodiversity Species biodiversity Genetic biodiversity

E COSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY : DIFFERENT TYPES OF EACH BIOME – THERE ’ S NOT JUST ONE KIND OF GRASSLAND !

G REAT P LAINS

E COSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY : T EMPERATE R AINFOREST AND T ROPICAL R AINFOREST

C ONIFEROUS FORESTS AND T EXAS DECIDUOUS FORESTS

G ENETIC B IODIVERSITY : T HE GENE POOL ( TOTAL DNA) OF A SPECIES If a species is too inbred, they could be more vulnerable to disease. They might not be able to handle changes in their environment well.

G ENETIC B IODIVERSITY

S PECIES D IVERSITY

5 R EASONS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY 1. Medicinal 2. Agricultural 3. Commercial 4. Ecological 5. Ethical/Aesthetic

R EASON #1:M EDICINAL 40% of modern medicines come from plants/animals/fungi 95% of known plant species have never been tested for medicinal value Rosy Periwinkle: Hodgkin’s disease and lymphocytic leukemia

P ACIFIC Y EW – T AXOL CANCER MEDICINE

T HE N EEM TREE FROM I NDIA Historically used to clean teeth, skin disorders, insect repellent. What chemical does it contain? Could it be used at a commercial level to help more people?

R EASON #2: C OMMERCIAL Harvesting: Shrimp industry harvesting: Recreational hunting

C OMMERCIAL : E COTOURISM Visiting Nature Preserves Whale Watching

E COTOURISM Austin’s bat colony Snorkling

E COTOURISM Mountain biking Whitewater Rafting

B IOMIMICRY - ENGINEERING DESIGNS BASED ON NATURAL SYSTEMS

B IOMIMICRY – BULLET TRAIN INSPIRED BY KINGFISHER ’ S BILL

B IOMIMICRY – ENGINEERING DESIGNS BASED ON NATURAL SYSTEMS Whale fins – better wind turbines Underwater plants – floating energy harvesters

R EASON #3: A GRICULTURAL Of 80,000 known edible plants on the planet, we depend on 20 species to provide 90% of global food supply. Corn, rice, soy and wheat are 50% alone!

R ELYING TOO HEAVILY ON LIMITED VARIETY CAN BE DANGEROUS

L OSS OF DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURE Apples – 14,000 apple cultivars in N. America have been reduced to 11 which supply 90% of our supply Coffee – 28% decline in Latin American production as climate change has brought new rainfall and pest patterns

N EW OPTIONS ? Winged Bean of New Guinea Katemfe berry

G ENES FROM MODERN CATTLE THAT CARRY AUROCH GENES WILL BE BRED TO LOOK AND ACT LIKE EXTINCT AUROCH. T HESE WILL BE ABLE TO BROWSE ON BEECH TREES WHICH ARE CHOKING E UROPE ’ S WOODS

P OLLINATORS

R EASON #4: E COLOGICAL Food webs Symbiotic relationships Indicator species US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that losing one plant can trigger the loss of 30 other species Food webs Simba says it’s all connected!

E COLOGICAL Ecosystem services! Air purification Water filtration Climate control (absorbing CO2) Gene bank Soil building

R EASON #5: A ESTHETICS /R ECREATION /S PIRITUAL /M ORAL 1.5 million KNOWN species More are discovered every year We are ONE species Biodiversity enriches our lives!

“E NDANGERED MEANS THERE ’ S STILL TIME !” Threatened Endangered Extinct

S O DID WE MEET OUR OBJECTIVES TODAY ? 3 types of biodiversity 5 reasons to protect species Threatened Endangered Extinct

H OMEWORK FOR THE WEEKEND Endangered species index card!