Biodiversity

Biology

Biodiversity

The full range of different living things in a particular region. Includes the range of different species in a community, genes in a population, or the range of different ecosystems in a biome.

Genetic Biodiversity (G.B)

The number and range of genes and alleles that exist in a population’s gene pool.

G.B Benefit

• The greater the genetic biodiversity, the greater the ability of the species to adapt to changes in the environment.

• The chance that one or some individuals will have a trait that allows them to adapt to the new environment is higher.

Species Biodiversity (S.B)

The number of different species that exist in a particular ecosystem/community.

S.B benefit

The greater the species diversity the greater the ecosystem resilience is to disruption, as food webs are more resistant to the loss of species.

Ecosystem biodiversity (EC.B)

The range and number of different ecosystems that exist in a biome/area.

EC.B Benefit

Larger numbers of ecosystems will result in more available niches for organisms to adapt to and therefore increases species diversity.

Importance of Biodiversity

Environmental Resilience:

• the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly.

• Returns to prior productivity and functions faster if its more resilient.

Ecosystem Services (nutrient cycling):

• Cleaning the water and air on the planet is done by hundreds of plants and animals.

Economic Reasons:

• Biodiversity provides humans with raw materials for consumption and production.

Cultural / Spiritual:

• The indigenous cultures are closely connected to biodiversity through the expression of identity, spirituality and aesthetic appreciation.

Scientific Reasons:

• Many plants have untested medicinal properties.

Spatial and Temporal Scales

To determine a change in biodiversity comparisons can be made across spatial and temporal scales.

Spatial comparisons:

• Comparisons of biodiversity made between different areas / places / geographical locations.

• e.g: transects of intertidal zones, changes in biodiversity with changing altitudes.

Temporal Comparisons:

• Comparisons of biodiversity of the same area / geographical location over time.

• e.g: measuring the effect of an introduced species on a particular ecosystem, measuring the effect of climate change.

NOTE: Relative Biodiversity Vary in Diff. Ecosystems

EXAMPLE:

• Rainforests and coral reefs have high biodiversity; rainforests have more varied niches resulting in greater species biodiversity.

• Deserts and grasslands have low biodiversity; in deserts there are less varied niches therefore fewer species.

Biodiversity Hotspot

Def:

• Regions with numerous endemic species and a large number of endangered and threatened species.

To Qualify, an area:

• Must contain at least 1500 species of endemic vascular plants found nowhere else on earth.

• Have lost at least 70% of its primary native vegetation.

EXAMPLE:

southwest of WA = biodiversity hotspot.

Species

A group of organisms who are able to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring.

EXCEPTIONS:

• Grizzly bears and Polar bears interbreeding.

CLASSIFICATIONS

Def: the process of grouping and naming organisms using non-ambiguous criteria

Why:

• To arrange and organise organisms into groups, each with similar characteristics.

• To enable new organisms to be placed quickly and accurately in to a group.

• To allow scientists to communicate universally about similar organisms.

• Allows for patterns and trend among organisms to be better understood

• Better understanding of evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Sources of Info Used to Classify

Molecular Sequences:

• Using the similarities or differences in DNA and proteins

Structural / Morphological (Physical) Features:

• Using the physical features of an organism, can be on the cellular level of the organism level.

Methods of Reproduction:

• Mode of reproduction - sexual or asexual, birthing and rearing of young.

The 8 Taxonomic Levels

• Domain

• Kingdom

• Phylum

• Class

• Order

• Family

• Genus

• Species

*From species to domain increases in biodiversity, decreases in similarity

*From Domain to species decrease in diversity, increases in similarity.

3 Domains

Eukarya:

• Eukaryotes are complex cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; members of Domain Eukarya.

Archaea and Bacteria:

• Prokaryotes are simple cells that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; members of the Domains Archaea or Bacteria.

Similarities: They are life forms, they respond to stimuli, and respire

Diff: Prokaryotes organelles are not compartmentalised.

Kingdoms:

Animalia:

• Have cytoplasm, cell membrane, mitochondria and nucleus.

• Multicellular, lack cell walls and are heterotrophic.

Plantae

• Multicellular have cell walls made of cellulose, they have chloroplasts, they are autotrophs that photosynthesise to make food.

Protista:

• Animal-like, mostly single celled, microscopic, aquatic organisms, has chloroplasts

Fungi:

• heterotrophs, have cell walls of chitin, (mushrooms, moulds), consume dead organisms.

Monera:

• Bacteria: mostly singe celled, have cell wall and cell membrane, don’t have nucleus or organelles.

Scientific Names

• Species given a name using binomial system

• Their scientific names are comprised of their genus and species name.

• After writing it fully once, Write the 1st letter of the genus and then species name.

• Handwritten = underlined

• Typed = in italics

Scientific Name Importance

• Allows biologists to identify and organise information about organisms.

• Allows for the description of biodiversity in ecosystems, to assist conservation efforts.

• Better understanding of evolutionary relationship between diff. species.

• Universal scientific communication.

• Identification of invasive species.

Phylogenetic Trees

• Used to show evolutionary relatedness

• Can be generated from similarities and differences in molecular sequences and fossil record.

• The greater the similarity of two the more closely related they are. (Share a common ancestor more recently.)

Abiotic Factor

A non-living component within an ecosystem, that affects the survival and reproduction of an organism. E.g. temperature, availability of water.

*Extreme abiotic conditions are factors.

Biotic Factor

A factor caused by another living thing that affects the survival and reproduction of an organism.

Endemic

A species that is native to a particular geographic region.

Hybrid

An organism resulting from two different species interbreeding.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding in a particular area and time.

Gene

A section of DNA in a chromosome that encodes an instruction to make a specific protein. The proteins then affects the expression of the gene on the phenotype.

Genes for a characteristic vary in their expression; alleles.

Gene Pool

The sum of all the genes, including all of their different forms (alleles), in a given population of a species.

Megadiverse

Refers to any one of a group of nations that harbor the majority of Earth’s species and high numbers of endemic species.