Section 2: Biodiversity

Biodiversity

Variety of life that cam be found on Earth.

• Oceans

• Forests

• Deserts

• Coral reefs

• Urban areas

• Savanna

• Taiga

• Tundra

Ecosystems (8)

Carbon Sequestration

Carbon dioxide removed in the atmosphere; prevents global warming.

Quadrant Sampling

a method ot studying biodiversity by dividing an area into equal sized quadrants (usually square plots) and analyzing a few randomly selected samples, N=(A/a)*n

Random Sampling

Selecting sampling sites in a random manner to avoid bias.

Population count

The total number of individuals of a specific species in a sample.

Population density

The number of incidents per unit area (e.g per square meter)

• Deforestation

• Extinction

• Dehabitat

• Global collapse in insect numbers

• Overfishing/Illegal fishing

Examples of Biodiversity loss (5)

• Support local farms

• Save the bees

• Plant local flowers, fruits, and vegetables

• Take shorter showers

• Respect local habitats

• Know the source

What are simple ways to preserve Biodiversity?

Biodiversity

is the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.

taxonomy

such as the number of species

functional traits

for example, the ecological type such as nitrogen-fixing plants like legumes versus non-nitrogen-fixing plants

functional traits

Roles species play (e.g., nitrogen-fixing plants vs. non-fixers).

Ecological Interactions

Relationships among species like predation, competition, parasitism, and pollination.

Ecological Indicators

Used to track biodiversity changes and ecosystem health.Help policymakers make informed environmental decisions.

Examples: number of species in an area, pollution levels, forest cover, coral reef health.

Estimated 5 to 30 million species exist.

Only about 1.7–2 million have been officially identified.

Many species, especially marine, plant, and microorganism species, are still undiscovered.

Number of Species on Earth:

species richness

(the number of species in a given area) represents a single but important metric that is valuable as the common currency of the diversity of life—but it must be integrated with other metrics to fully capture biodiversity.

quantitative data

Ecological indicators are scientific constructs that use ________ to measure aspects of biodiversity, ecosystem condition, services, or drivers of change, but no single ecological indicator captures all the dimensions of biodiversity.

global mean temperature

Some environmental indicators, such as ________ and atmospheric CO2 concentrations, are becoming widely accepted as measures of anthropogenic effects on global climate. Ecological indicators are founded on much the same principles and therefore carry with them similar pros and cons."

North-temperate regions

They often have usable data on spatial distributions of many taxa, and some groups (such as birds, mammals, reptiles, plants, butterflies, and dragonflies) are reasonably well documented globally.

Biogeographic principles

(such as gradients in species richness associated with latitude, temperature, salinity, and water depth) or the use of indicators can supplement available biotic inventories.

macroscopic organisms

Most _______ have small, often clustered geographical ranges, leading to centers of both high diversity and endemism, frequently concentrated in isolated or topographically variable regions (islands, mountains, peninsulas).

Biomes and biogeographic realms

They provide broad pictures of the distribution of functional diversity.

Functional diversity

the variety of different ecological functions in a community independent of its taxonomic diversity

biomes

Functional diversity shows patterns of associations (biota typical of wetlands, forests, grasslands, estuaries, and so forth) with geography and climate known as ______.

Local extinctions

the loss of a species from a local area

functional extinctions

the reduction of a species such that it no longer plays a significant role in ecosystem function

global extinctions

loss of all individuals of a species from its entire range

coral reefs

As one of the most species-rich communities on Earth, ______ are responsible for maintaining a vast storehouse of genetic and biological diversity.

Genetic diversity

variation within species (differences in genes, traits, or DNA).

Species diversity

variety of species in an area.

Ecosystem diversity

variety of ecosystems (forests, deserts, wetlands, oceans, etc.).

Biome

A large natural area with specific climate and life forms (e.g., forest, desert, tundra).

Ecosystem

Smaller divisions within biomes (e.g., mangrove forest, coral reef).

Ecoregion

Specific area with unique plants and animals within an ecosystem.

Intrinsic Value

It refers to the value of biodiversity inherent to the organism or ecosystem.

Extrinsic Value

The value given to biodiversity which grow out of utilitarian or instrumental uses or applications.

Direct Use Value

The value or biodiversity that provides goods such as food, medicine, building materials, fuel, and fibers for clothing and textile.

Indirect Use Value

The value of biodiversity that provides services that include atmospheric and climate regulation, nutrient cycling, pollination, and seed dispersal, among others.

Existence Value

The value of knowing something exists even if you will never use it or see it.

Bequest Value

The value of knowing something will be there for future generations

Non Use Value

The term referring to less tangible values for the things that we don’t use but would feel a loss if they were to disappear.

Spiritual and Cultural Values

A service provided by biodiversity manifested by most cultures that place distinct values on natural areas.

Photosynthesis

The food-making process of autotrophic organisms responsible for one of the most dramatic changes in the Earth's environment: the increase of atmospheric oxygen.

Biomimicry

A term referring to a phenomenon when technological innovation imitates something from the biological world. 

Dominant Species

Species that are important due to their sheer numbers and make up most of the biomass of an ecosystem.

Keystone Species

Species that have important ecological roles that are greater than one would expect based on their abundance.

Taxonomic diversity

the diversity of species classified and named, which remains incomplete and strongly biased toward certain groups like megafauna and temperate systems.

Biogeographic principles

the study of gradients in species richness associated with latitude, temperature, salinity, and water depth used to understand spatial biodiversity patterns.

Centers of endemism

regions with clustered geographical ranges of organisms leading to high diversity, often in isolated or topographically variable areas like islands or mountains.

Microorganisms

organisms with large populations and dispersal abilities, causing their local and global diversity patterns to be more similar compared to larger organisms.

Ecosystem functioning

the collective biological, geochemical, and physical processes that determine ecosystem productivity and stability.

Species composition

the specific mix and abundance of species in an ecosystem that influences ecosystem functioning more than the number of species alone.

Coral reefs

among the most species-rich communities on Earth, providing substantial ecosystem services such as habitat construction, nurseries for fish, nutrient cycling, and wave buffering.

Symbiosis

a close and often long-term interaction between different biological species, such as the relationship between corals and algae essential for reef ecosystems.