Genetic Diversity

• Genetic variation among individuals in a population

• A high degree of variability is important for the long-term survival of a species over time

• Improves resistance to disease/pests

• Increases the likelihood that a species can adapt to changes in the environment

Species Diversity

• Combination of the # different species and the abundance of individuals w/in each species in a region or in a particular ecosystem

• Species Richness - number of species in a defined region

• Species evenness - how close in numbers each species in an environment is

Habitat Diversity

• Variety of habitats (niches) that exist ina given ecosystem

• a greater diversity of habitats results in a greater diversity of species

  • Some species are specialists (only live under a narrow range of abiotic or biotic factors)

  • Some are generalists (live under a wide range of biotic or abiotic conditions)

Ecosystem Diversity

• A form of diversity between ecosystems within a geographical location

• Includes the variety of species as well as their interactions with biotic and abiotic factors

• Includes the variety of species as well as their interactions with biotic and abiotic factors

  Different ecosystems can support different types of species

  Factors Affecting Biodiversity in Communities

  Latitude - Species diversity is highest in latitudes closest to the equator

  NPP - High NPP equals high biodiversity

• Habitat diversity - more niches available in a habitat, the greater species diversity diversity that can be supported

• Habitat disturbances - lead to decline in diversity due to loss of available resources

• Time - maturity of habitats leads to an increased ability to support more organisms & a greater diversity of species

• Pollution - Degradation of air, water, & soil resources

• Biogeography - The more widespread a species is, the more likely it’s to have a greater genetic diversity

Ecosystems Services

• The direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being that have an impact on our survival and quality of life

• Ecosystem goods and services produce the many life-sustaining benefits we receive from nature—clean air and water, fertile soil for crop production, pollination, and flood control

• important to environmental and human health and well-being, yet they are limited and often taken for granted

Regulating - Air quality, climate, water runoff, erosion, natural hazards, pollination

Supporting - Nutrient cycling, water, cycling, soil formation, photosynthesis

Cultural - Ethical values, existence values, recreation, and ecotourism

Provisioning - Food, fiber, biomass, fuel, fresh water, and natural medicine

Theory of Biogeography - states that a larger island will have a greater # of species than a smaller island (higher species diversity)