biodiversity biodiversity is the number of different species in a given area. – tropical...
TRANSCRIPT
Biodiversity
• Biodiversity is the number of different species in a given area.– Tropical Rainforests have the most – Tundra’s have the lowest
• Why do you think that the Rainforest has the highest and Tundra’s have the lowest?
• Organisms have very complex relationships with one another and with their ecosystem.– Organisms are hard to study BUT its important to
understand and preserve the biodiversity that we currently have for our own survival.
• Any Idea WHY the biodiversity of the world is sooooo important to our own survival?
• We have No idea how many species actually exist in the world.– We know of about 1.7 million, mostly insects– We think that there might be 10+ million!
INSERT DIAGRAM PG 259
4 new species of Jewel Beetles found in South-eastern Asia July 7, 2011.
July 27, 2011• The team found 13 species of fanged frog on the island, nine of which hadn't previously been described. The species differ in body size, amount of webbing in their feet, and even how they raise their young -- all in accordance with the demands of their distinct ecological niches.
• In January of 2009 scientists announced the discovery of a pink Iguana on the Galapagos Islands…
In early September a team of Scientists found more than 40 previously unidentified species in a crater of Mount Bosavi in Papua New Guinea
A jungle habitat that has never before been recorded by science, evolved in isolation since the volcanoes last eruption 200,000
years ago.
A world streaming with life, completely unafraid of humans
16 species of frogs, including a fanged variety, 3 new fish, a new bat, insects and
mammals alike were all discovered.
• They might have even found the worlds largest rat…called a Bosavi wooly rat.
Biodiversity determines Stability
• Biodiversity can affect the stability of both ecosystems and populations.– We depend on healthy ecosystems to keep
everything in balance and each species plays an important role in an ecosystem.
– If we remove a species from a food web…how does that affect other species?
Keystone species- a species that is critical to the balance of an ecosystem.
FIGURE 3 page 260
• Wolves main food sources are elk, moose, deer and bison. Once people began colonizing the west their food sources started to dwindle.
• The wolves realized how easy the cows, sheep and horses were to catch as opposed to the dwindling populations of elk, deer and moose so they started to eat them.
• Obviously this led to the farmers losing money and food, which did not make them happy.
• Farmers began to hunt the wolves.
In 1906 the US Government began a campaign to eradicate the grey wolves.
• Due to the disappearance of the grey wolves from Yellowstone the entire ecosystem was affected.
• Elk which are the primary prey of the wolves overpopulated because they had no predators.
• This overpopulation led to a major decrease in the amount of plants in Yellowstone because the elk are herbivores.
• The lose of the wolves led to a decrease in the biodiversity of Yellowstone. The more diverse an ecosystem the more stable it is.
• After the reintroduction of the wolves, the rangers at Yellowstone observed more vegetation in the open fields. Thus increasing the biodiversity.
Human Uses for Biodiversity
• 1. Food sources• 2. Clothing• 3. Shelter• 4. Medicine
Losing biodiversity means losing possible sources of cures for diseases!
Food Sources
• Table 2 on page 262 on origins of foods.
• The foods we eat were originally wild. Humans have domesticated them over time.– Wheat, rye, and other plants with large seeds or
fruits• Animals we raise for food have also been
domesticated.– Pigs, sheep, dogs, cattle, etc.
• Today we are able to increase our biodiversity of plants more quickly by genetically modifying them.
• This helps to create plants that are disease resistant, pest resistant, and are able to produce more food than what they were previously capable of doing!
What exactly are Genetically Modified
(GM) Foods?
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.gen.breeding/
GM foods are:
• When one gene, that controls particular characteristics (such as a drought resistant plants) is transferred directly into the cells of another plant or animal cell.
What is the purpose of GM foods?
To create a food able to survive being sprayed with harmful
chemicals like pesticides and herbicides, to make food fresher, kill pests, produces more of the
crop in the same amount of space.
Where did the idea of genetically modified foods come from?
History:
• Farmers have been selectively breeding plants and animals to help improve their crops and livestock for hundreds of years (domesticating plants and animals).
• Then we discovered that the genetic code of organisms could be altered for different characteristics in ways we never dreamed about before.
Positives of Genetically Modified• Better quality and taste
• Reduced time to maturity
• Possibility for increased nutrients
• Improved resistance to disease and pests
• Increased productivity and hardiness
• Potential for conserving soil, water and energy due to modifications
• Possible solution to world hunger
CREATE YOUR OWN GENETICALLY
MODIFIED FOOD
Question of the Day:
Is it better to eat something that has been genetically
modified or something that has been grown organically?
**What do you think?**
What are organic foods?
Foods that have been grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, only
natural. They do not allow genetic engineering of plants.
Negatives of G. M. Foods
• Allergy reactions can occur and other health risks
• Effects economy of poorer countries because they have to rely on other countries for supplies.
• Can possibly cause harm to other organisms that were not genetically modified.
• “terminator seeds” cause farmers to have to buy new seeds every year. This becomes costly.
Negatives Cont.• Farmers are forced to buy pesticides from seed manufacturers in
order to ensure that they will work on the seeds that they have purchased.
• Potential to decrease the effectiveness of antibiotics due to putting antibiotic resistant genes into organisms.
• Possibility of domination of world food production by a few companies (monopoly)
• Reduced effectiveness of pesticides because bugs become use to the G.M.
• Genetically modified seeds/plants can get into natural habitats and devastate/destroy the environment.
Positives of Organics
• More natural nutrients in organics
• Very minimal to no pesticide residue in foods
• Kinder to the environment
• Supports local farmers
Negatives of organics
• Not always the biggest or hardiest or nicest looking foods
• Not as much potential for increasing nutrition within the foods.
• Rely more on mother nature for good quality crops.
• Bugs could become more of a problem• Take longer to grow
TIME TO CHOOSE
Organic or Genetically Modified???
ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE!
Human Uses for Biodiversity
• 1. Food sources• 2. Clothing• 3. Shelter• 4. Medicine
Losing biodiversity means losing possible sources of cures for diseases!
Brainstorm
• With the person sitting next to you:– How is biodiversity important to clothing? Can you
name several pieces of clothing that rely on animals or plants? Or did rely on animals or plants in the past?
– How is biodiversity important to shelter? Can you think of any types of shelters or pieces of shelters that rely on plants or animals?
Medicine
• ¼ of drugs used in the United States come from plants.– Almost all antibiotics come from chemicals found
in fungi
Ginkgo Biloba
• Native to China• Oldest tree species living on earth• Often referred to as the living fossil• Alternative medicine for Heart Disease,
Kidney disorders, alzheimers, asthma• It also helps improve vision and memory
Red Clover
• Found Everywhere…including the artic circle in the mountains! But native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• Edible and medicinal• Leaves and flowers are harvested and added to
salads and soups• Anticancer ability, asthma, bronchitis, sedative,
eczema, whooping and dry coughs, and burns• May be able to work as an anti-diabetic and anti-
AIDS in the future
Wild Carrot or Queen Anne’s Lace
• Uses: root is edible raw or cooked, flower clusters can be French fried for a carrot flavor, seed is often used as seasoning in stews and soups.
• Helps with depression, diabetics, stress, flu-symptoms, Alzheimer's, leukemia, HIV, migraine headaches, obesity, sweetener, anxiety, digestive disorders, kidney and bladder diseases
Dandelion• Fresh juice is applied externally to fight bacteria
and help heal wounds. • Antibacterial agent• Originated back thirty million years ago in Eurasia!• Wax in the sap can be used to remove corns and
warts.• Helps treat gall bladders, kidney and urinary
disorders, gallstones, high blood pressure and weak hearts, acne.
• Infusion of the roots encourages elimination of toxins in the body
• roasted, ground root are sometimes used as a caffeine free coffee substitute
• Once a popular salad green in these regions, dandelion leaves are becoming popular in salad dishes
• The flowers can also be fermented to make wine • If you place them in a paper bag with unripe fruit
the fruit will ripen more quickly.• Dandelions are EVERYWHERE…but originated in
Europe.
Biodiversity should be preserved for ethical reasons…
• Species and ecosystems have a right to exist regardless of its value.
• Each organism on Earth is a gift with a higher purpose.
• Should exist for personal enjoyment– National Parks– Ecotourism – a form of tourism that supports the
conservation and sustainable development of unique areas.