10/27/2015samtse college of education, royal university of bhutan 1 biodiversity

04/20/23 Samtse College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan

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Biodiversity

A B

Which do you like better?Which do you like better?

04/20/2304/20/23 Samtse College of Education, Royal Samtse College of Education, Royal University of BhutanUniversity of Bhutan

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A B

Which do you like better?Which do you like better?


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What do you think biodiversity What do you think biodiversity means?means?


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Bio =

BioBiodiversitydiversity

What does “Bio” mean?


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BioBiodiversitydiversity

Diversity = Variety

What does “Diversity” mean?


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Definition: Biodiversity

• ‘The variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are part, including the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.’

• Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things

• Scientists have identified more than 2 million species. Tens of millions -- remain unknown

• The tremendous variety of life on Earth is made possible by complex interactions among all living things including microscopic species such as algae, virus, bacteria, fungus etc. 04/20/23 Samtse College of Education, Royal

University of Bhutan7

There are 3 components of biodiversity

1.1. Diversity of genesDiversity of genesChihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all dogs—but Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all dogs—but

they're not the same because their genes are different.they're not the same because their genes are different.

ChihuahuaChihuahua BeagleBeagleRottweilersRottweilers04/20/2304/20/23 Samtse College of Education, Royal Samtse College of Education, Royal

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2. Diversity of species2. Diversity of speciesFor example, monkeys, dragonflies, and meadow beauties are all For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and meadow beauties are all different species. different species.

Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Meadow Beauty

There are 3 types of biodiversity


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3. 3. Variety of ecosystemsVariety of ecosystemsPrairies, Ponds, and tropical rain forests are all ecosystems. Each Prairies, Ponds, and tropical rain forests are all ecosystems. Each one is different, with its own set of species living in it.one is different, with its own set of species living in it.

Prairie

Rain Forest

Florida Sand hill Pond

There are 3 components of biodiversity There are 3 components of biodiversity


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Should we be concerned about Should we be concerned about biodiversity?biodiversity?

What we know:What we know: The Earth is losing species at an alarming rateThe Earth is losing species at an alarming rate

Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 species species per hour are going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur per hour are going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur

each year.each year. when species of plants and animals go extinct, many when species of plants and animals go extinct, many

other species are affectedother species are affected. .


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Biodiversity has Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic Value = Something that has value in and of itself


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Biodiversity also has utilitarian Biodiversity also has utilitarian ValueValue

Utilitarian Value = the value something has as Utilitarian Value = the value something has as a means to another’s end.a means to another’s end.

Utilitarian values include:• Goods• Services• Information


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Ecological Value

• “Extinction is the most irreversible and tragic of all environmental calamities. With each plant and animal species that disappears, a precious part of creation is callously erased” (Michael Soule, 2004)

• If too many species or keystone species are lost, eventually it leads to the failure of ecosystem function


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Threats to Biodiversity

• As our numbers climb, we expand agricultural conversion, import invasive species, hunt more species, degrade habitat, fragment and lose habitat, pollute water and air, impact climate.

• The UN Millenium Assessment found losses in biodiversity in the past 50 years ’was more rapid than ever before in human history’. To sustain Earth’s life-support services, from food security, resilience to natural disasters, and access to clean water and raw materials, improvements are needed to address biodiversity losses and changes (extinctions, changes in population sizes, distribution, species composition, genetic diversity).


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Threats to biodiversity

• Habitat destruction

• Pollution

• Species Introductions

• Global Climate Change

• Exploitation


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Threats to Biodiversity• Major

factors impacting biodiversity


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Threats to Biodiversity1. Habitat Degradation

– Includes conversion from suitable to unsuitable, lowering quality, fragmentation of habitats

– Causes: many industries (e.g. forestry, agriculture, development, fishing, mining, chemical)

2. Invasive Species– With our help, species have the ability to get virtually anywhere

in the world

– Direct actions: predation, parasitism, disease, competition or hybridization

– Indirect paths: changing abundances, disruption of mutualisms, modifying habitat, reducing habitat quality)


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3. Overexploitation– Hunting, collecting, fishing (and indirect by-catch), trade of animals

(and parts)

4. Anthropogenic Climate Change– Climate has been a cause of previous mass extinctions– Couple this with lower abundance, invasive species and other

problems, a severe impact is likely from climate change– Climate change will also trigger additional biological responses

(e.g. malaria in temperate places)– “Snowballing” effect of the invasion of the alien root pathogen


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• Direct effects of Snowballing


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• Indirect effects of Snowballing


5. Anthropogenic Pollution– There are direct discharges of chemicals into the environment, there

are also pollutants released into the atmosphere

– Toxic chemicals (e.g. mercury, lead) are found even in remote areas

– Also have the problem of bioaccumulation (or biomagnification)


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10/27/2015samtse college of education, royal university of bhutan 1 biodiversity

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royal university of

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diversity of species

different species

microscopic species

species of plants

set of species