Biodiversity of Life

Chapter 6

What is Biodiversity?

The variety of life in a given location.

The best biodiversity is found: near the equator

Hotspots for Biodiversity…Tropical

rain forestsCoral ReefsTropical

lakes

Why is Biodiversity so Important?

1. Life depends on life.

2. Animals could not exist without plants to eat.

3. Many plants could not exist w/out animals to pollinate for them and carry their seeds.

What about on Islands?The larger

the island, the greater the diversity of life will be found there.

Who cares?!?The number of species in an

ecosystem are comparable to the rivets in an airplane. If 1 or 2 fall out, no big deal. BUT, if they keep falling out, eventually, the plane (i.e. the ecosystem) will fall apart (die out).

Loss of Biodiversity…

Extinction- A permanent disappearance of a species because the last one dies out.

Loss of Biodiversity…

Threatened Species- When the population of an organism is declining rapidly.

Loss of Biodiversity…Endangered

species- When the number of organisms becomes so low that extinction is possible.

What Threatens Biodiversity?

Habitat Loss- When an organism’s habitat is destroyed.

Largest threat to biodiversity

What Threatens Biodiversity?

Habitat fragmentation - Separation from one wilderness area to another

Causes problems for migrating animals and those that gather food.

What Threatens Biodiversity?

Habitat Degradation – Damage to a habitat by pollution of air, land, and/or water.

Habitat Degradation…Acid Rain/ Fog/

Smog- Deteriorates forests and lakes by removing K from the soil and lowering the pH of water sheds

Habitat Degradation…Water Pollution-

Abandoned nets, chemicals clog fish gills, detergents can cause sickness and death

Habitat Degradation…Land pollution-

The average American produces 1.8 kg of solid waste every day (657 kg/year * 7 billion)

Conservation Biology

Most extinction is caused by …

PEOPLE, US, YOU, MEConservation studies methods

and implements plans to protect biodiversity.

Legal Protection of Biodiversity

In 1973, Richard Nixon passed the U.S. Endangered Species Act

It illegalized the killing or harming of any endangered organisms.

It protected at the time: bald eagles, American alligators, brown pelican

Habitat PreservationSustainable Use-

A way of living so that people learn to use the environment in a way that does not damage an ecosystem.

Habitat PreservationHabitat

corridors- Natural strips that allow the migration of organisms from one area to another.

Habitat Preservation

Reintroduction programs- Releasing of organisms into an area where their species once lived.