Biodiversity Loss & Conservation: STS Module 5 Part 3
Intended Learning Outcomes
Explain the importance of biodiversity as Earth’s natural capital.
Identify laws and policies protecting Earth’s biodiversity.
Discuss the current state of Global & Philippine biodiversity.
Differentiate between the approaches to studying biodiversity.
Describe bioprospecting in relation to biodiversity conservation.
Identify anthropogenic limiting factors affecting population growth of species.
Perform sustainability measures in protecting Earth’s biodiversity.
Connect the current state of earth’s biodiversity to climate change.
Topics Included
Biodiversity Conservation: Philippine & Global Setting
Species Approach
Ecosystem Approach
Bioprospecting
Societal implications of biodiversity loss
Zoonoses
Pandemics
Climate change and its effects on the earth’s biodiversity.
Biodiversity: An Overview
Is biodiversity part of nature?
What is biodiversity in your own words?
The importance of biodiversity to our daily lives is very obvious.
Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem (In-Situ) Approach
Philippine Protected Areas: An Ecosystem Approach of Conserving Biodiversity
The Philippines is one of the world's 17 megabiodiversity countries, containing two-thirds of the earth's biodiversity and around 70 to 80 percent of the world's plant and animal species.
Located within the Coral Triangle, at the center of the highest marine diversity in the world.
Higher concentration of species per unit area in the Philippines than anywhere in Indonesia and Wallacea.
The Philippines is the center of the center marine shore fish diversity in the world.
A staggering number of species are endemic, or cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The wealth of biodiversity found in the country is beyond imagination and comparable to the best that the world can offer.
Philippine Protected Areas: An Ecosystem Approach of Conserving Biodiversity
Repositories of rich natural capital, much of the country's best nature destinations have become protected under various environmental laws, and are managed under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
These ensure that the country's unspoiled forests, lakes, and beaches are protected, so that future generations may continue to enjoy the benefits from species and wildlife found in these areas.
As of 2013, there are 240 protected areas covering 5.45 million hectares under NIPAS, encompassing 14.2 percent of the total area of the country.
4.07 million hectares of terrestrial areas (13.57 percent of total area of the country).
1.38 million hectares of marine areas (0.63 percent of total area of the country).
About 26 percent of the country's remaining forests are found in protected areas.
Protected Areas in the Philippines
16 out of 240 protected areas mandated by NIPAS act implement ecotourism strategies and practices.
This would ensure travel benefitting the environment, management of these areas, communities bordering the protected area, and businesses conducting various operations related to the parks' conservation.
Travel to these protected areas allows eco-tourists to contribute to conservation, as revenues are utilized for conservation management and action such as research, patrolling of the said areas, and law enforcement.
The State of the Philippine Environment in Terms of Its Biodiversity
One of 17 mega-diverse countries in the world.
Containing two-thirds of the earth's biodiversity.
70-80% of the world's endangered species.
The State of the Philippine Environment in Terms of Its Biodiversity