Biodiversity

The Variety and number

of life forms on earth is
called the biological
diversity or biodiversity.
By 2010, over 1.7 million
kinds of living things
have been identified and
described.
2010 was declared by the
United Nations the year
of Biodiversity. This was
done to increase the
awareness and
understanding of the
state of the fragile
environment in which we
live.
Video 2010 biodiversity
http://www.barcodeoflif
e.org/content/about/wh
at-dna-barcoding
Our brain may have the
ability to remember up
to 1000 different species
There are over 1.7 million
different species
identified so far.
A group of
organisms that
are freely able to
breed with each
other under
natural
conditions.
All humans are
of the same
species:
Homo sapiens


Two species that undergo cross-breeding under
natural conditions are called: Hybridization
Often when species reproduce asexually, they are
defined on their physical appearance and
characteristics. This is called Morphology; the study of
the science of physical characteristics.
Species can also change over time and space. They may
evolve over many generations and across continents.

Often within a species you may have great variation in
behaviours, habitats, ecological niches and
abundance.
They may also vary in their genetic make-up. In
humans we see such unique combinations of hair, skin
& eye colour, as well as facial features, and height.
Ecosystems are made up of many different species and
their physical environment.
Autotrophs-species that create their own food through
Photosynthesis.
Heterotrophs Species that feed on other organisms to
survive.

The interdependence of species in an ecosystem has
many different interactions.
Interactions:
Food Supply food webs, food chains, predator/prey
Protection Shelter and protection
Transportation Species move around with assistance
from other species.
Reproduction Many depend on other species for their
own successful reproduction.
Hygiene Some species maintain the health of others.
Digestion- Species live within digestive tracts of others
Species Diversity - A measure of diversity that takes into
account the quantity of each species present as well as the
variety of different species present.
Ex. An ecosystem with 10 different species - each with over
500 individuals would be more biologically diverse than an
ecosystem with 10 species each with only 50 individuals.

Structural Diversity The range of physical shapes and
sizes of landscapes and environments within an ecosystem.
Ex. A rainforest has a greater structural diversity than a tree
farm even if they both have the same number of actual plants.
The loss of Biodiversity worldwide may affect humans
in many ways:
Threaten our food supply.
Eliminate sources of natural medicine and potential new
medicines.
Have significant economic impact of tourism and
forestry.
Has the potential to cause serious disruptions to the
biogeochemical cycles.
Species extinction is a natural process; however it is
the rate and speed of this extinction episode, and it
unknown consequences that are troubling.