1 biology – chapter 6. our earth is an island 2 unlimited resources?
TRANSCRIPT
Our Earth is an ISLAND
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Unlimited Resources?
Resources
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Environmental resources classified as either:
Renewable
Nonrenewable
Renewable – resources that replenish through natural processes (not always unlimited)
Nonrenewable – resources that cannot replenish by natural processes
Human activities can affect the quality and quantity of otherwise renewable resources
Biodiversity
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Biological diversity (biodiversity) is essential for biosphere survival – allowing the differences in biological systems to absorb any drastic changes that may happen.
Biodiversity = the amount of variation in life in a given species, ecosystem, biome or planet
Types of Biodiversity
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Ecosystem diversity – variety of habitats, communities & ecological processes in the biosphere
Species diversity – the number of different species in the biosphere
Genetic diversity – the total of all the different forms of all the different organisms in the biosphere
Biodiversity is one of the Earth’s greatest natural resources – providing us with medicines, building materials, artistic inspiration and food.
Threats to Biodiversity
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Human activity can be a threat to biodiversity by:
Changing natural habitats Land development, deforestation
Hunting species to extinction Food, “pests”
Introducing toxic compounds into food webs
Pollution, biological magnificationIntroducing foreign species into new environments
Invasive species
Conserving Biodiversity
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Sustainable Development - A way of using natural resources for human needs without depleting them or causing long term environmental harm
Conservation – the management of natural resources to preserve biodiversity for future generations
Conservation Strategies
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Protection of species & ecosystems
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As of the year 2000, more than 35 biodiversity “hotspots” have been identified
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