1. Biodiversity & Human Impact

2. Think about it: Is Montville more diverse than a rainforest?
5.1 - What is biodiversity?
Variety of life in an area that is determined by the number of different species in that area
Think about it: Is Montville more diverse than a rainforest?

3. Currently there are 1.8 million identified species!
Currently there are 1.8 million identified species!

4. Biodiversity Increases stability of an ecosystem
Contributes to health of biosphere
Three types of Biodiversity:
Genetic diversity
Species diversity
Ecosystem diversity

5. Genetic Diversity
The variety of genes or inheritable characteristics that are present in a population

6. More of different types of species live closer to the equator!
2. Species Diversity
The number of different species and the relative abundance of each species in a biological community
More of different types of species live closer to the equator!

7. The variety of ecosystems that are present in the biosphere
3. Ecosystem Diversity
The variety of ecosystems that are present in the biosphere

8. Why Biodiversity is so important?
Why Biodiversity is so important?
Economic value to humans
Plants and animals provide us food, clothing, energy, medicine, and shelter
2. Source of desirable genes for the future
ex: If crops have little genetic diversity and all of them are lacking resistance to disease, disease could wipe them out
Genetic engineering!
3. Medicines come from various plants/organisms

9. Indirect Economic Value
1. A healthy biosphere provides many services to humans and other organisms that live on Earth
2. Green plants provide oxygen to the atmosphere and remove carbon dioxide
3. Natural processes provide drinking water that is safe for human use.
An economic study revealed that improving the biodiversity in the ecosystem would help clean NYC water supply and would be less expensive than using technology to perform the same service.

10. THINK - PAIR -SHARE
1. GIVE A BRIEF DEFINITION, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, OF “BIODIVERSITY.”
2. LIST THE THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIODIVERSITY.
3. WHAT PARTS OF THE EARTH HAVE THE GREATEST BIODIVERSITY?
4. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIVERSITY AND LATITUDE?

12. DO NOW: Why are bees dying?

13. Extinction → An entire species permanently disappearing from earth
Background extinction: the gradual process of a species becoming extinct
Mass extinction: a large percentage of living species going extinct in a relatively short period of time

14. Most Recent Extinctions

15. Lack Natural Resources & Overexploitation
Evolving species avoiding extinction and trying to adapt may not have the resources they need to survive. Destruction and disruption of habitats are caused by humans.
Overexploitation: Excessive use of species that have economic value
Ex: White rhinoceros = extinct
Hunted for their horns, which were sold for medicinal purposes

16. Natural Resources
All materials and organisms found in the biosphere, including minerals, fossil fuels, nuclear fuels, plants, animals, soil, clean water, clean air, and solar energy.

17. Pollution

18. Biomagnification
The increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms as the trophic levels increase in the food chain/web.

19. Biomagnification cont.
DDT - found in pesticides
PCBs - used insulates electrical equipment
Mercury -used in meteorological equipment

20. Eutrophication
Occurs when fertilizers, animal waste, sewage, or other nitrogen/phosphorous rich compounds flow into waterways, causing extensive algae growth.
Algae use the oxygen supply during their rapid growth, thus causing organisms in the water to suffocate
Algae can also release toxins
Human activities have accelerated the rate

21. Question: How much DDT will the 1 eagle accumulate?
DO NOW: 2 4 1 20
There are 20 blades of grass and each blade of grass has 10 ppm of DDT.
All the animals at each level eat evenly.
Question: How much DDT will the 1 eagle accumulate?

22. Acid Rain
Sulfur and nitrogen compounds react with water and other substances in the air to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid
Acid precipitation removes calcium, potassium, and other nutrients from the soil, depriving plants of these nutrients.

23. Nonnative species that are either intentionally or unintentionally transported to a new habitat. Usually becomes an “invasive species”.
Introduced Species
Example: The gypsy moth was accidentally brought over from Europe/Asia to Boston
Devastating forest pests; feeds mostly on oak trees
Think about it: Have you ever traveled out of the country and they are strict about bringing back plants/ food / etc?

24. Renewable Resources vs. Nonrenewable Resources

25. Renewable Resources vs. Nonrenewable Resources
Solar energy
Wind energy
Hydropower
Biomass
Geothermal energy
Fossil fuels
Crude Oil
Nuclear fuels (uranium)
Propane

27. Sustainability
Using resources at a rate in which they can be replaced or recycled while preserving the long-term environmental health of the biosphere.

28. Protecting Biodiversity
Many National Parks have become protected under law
Currently, about 7% of the world's land is set aside as some type of reserve

29. Bioremediation
The use of living organisms, such as prokaryotes, fungi, or plants, to detoxify a polluted area

30. Biological augmentation
Adding natural predators to a degraded ecosystem
Example: Ladybugs added to an ecosystem to control aphid populations

31. What is your carbon footprint?
Go to my teacher page under Ecology

32. Human Impact Project - Decline in Saltwater Fish Populations