Ch18 4&16 4&30-Biodiversity

Biodiversity
Sections 18.4. 16.4, and 30.1

W
• The word “diversity” is used in many O
contexts. R
K
• What is “genetic diversity” within a
species? T
O
• What is meant by “species diversity” G
within an ecosystem? E
T
• Can there be genetic diversity within an H
E
ecosystem?
R
Biodiversity is:
1. The number of species 25% 25% 25% 25%
in a region.
2. The types of alleles
found in the gene
pool.
3. The number of
individuals found in
an ecosystem.
4. The number of
individuals in a
population. 1 2 3 4
Biodiversity
• The total number of species in a region is

known as biodiversity.
• Besides the number of species, the
numbers within each species is
important. If one population grows in
size and dominates an ecosystem, that
ecosystem can lose biodiversity.
Different areas of the world differ in their relative
amounts of biodiversity. Why?
Studying Biodiversity
• The number of
named species falls
far behind the
estimated number
of actual species.
• Some groups, such
as insects are
studied far more
Notice this is just
than others. Why? Eukaryotes!
Estimates vary about the number of species yet to be
discovered and named, but it’s clear that we have a long
way to go!
How do scientists estimate how many species
have not been discovered yet?
33% 33% 33%
1. They count known
species, then multiply
by 10 as a guess.
2. They base the number
on sampling methods
that determine species
richness.
3. They don’t. It’s just too
hard.
1 2 3
• Species richness:
the number of
species in a given
area.
• A species area
curve plots the
number of species
encountered as a
function of
sampling area
size.
• Species richness: Often
used to describe
species within the
same trophic level.
• In many ecosystems,
most species are
present in small
numbers of
individuals. Only a
few species are
present in high
numbers of
individuals.
Species equitability: another measure of evenness of
distribution of individuals among the species in a community.
Both of these “ecosystems” are equally diverse. Which is

more equitable?
High species diversity is found in tropical rainforests and
coral reefs. Why?
Extinction Risks
• Specialization and resource partitioning

increase diversity.
• However, the tradeoff is that organisms
become more vulnerable to extinction if
the environment drastically changes.
Localized Distribution
• By living in a limited
area, a population
avoids competition
with other
populations.
• The risk is that a
natural disaster will The Devil’s Hole Pupfish lives
destroy the limited in a single waterhole in Nevada.
habitat.
Overspecialization
• Organisms that have
specialized feeding
habits reduce
competition with
other species.
• If the limited food
source goes extinct,
so does the species
feeding on it.
Fender’s Blue Butterfly feeds
only on Kinkaid’s Lupine.
Interactions
• Isolation reduces
competition and
predation.
• If a new predator or
competitor is
introduced, a formerly
isolated species may be
hunted or out-
competed to extinction.Many Hawai’ian birds were driven to
extinction by introduced predators.
Habitat Loss
• The greatest cause of
extinction is habitat
loss.
• Organisms with
highly specialized
habitat needs may
avoid competition,
but risk extinction if
their habitat is
Tropical rain forests are being logged
threatened. at an alarming rate, mostly for grazing
cattle.
Species are at LEAST risk for
extinction if they:
25% 25% 25% 25%
1. Are highly
specialized for their
niche.
2. Have a widespread
distribution.
3. Are losing their
habitat.
4. Must compete with
invasive species.
1 2 3 4
Humans and Biodiversity
• Humans change ecosystems:
deforestation, use of land for farming,
pollution, altering rivers, and more.
Habitat destruction reduces biodiversity.
• Ecosystems also impact humans: Loss of
forests, farmland, clean water, flood
protection, and more can directly impact
human life.
• Habitat destruction
worldwide threatens
– or may have
destroyed – many
species that have not
even been named.
• Recent discoveries of
new mammal species
have found the
animals already on
the brink of
extinction.
Ecosystem services
Directly used substances Indirect, beneficial services

• food plants and animals • maintaining soil fertility
• building materials • pollination
• fiber and fabric materials • seed dispersal
• fuel • waste decomposition
• medicinal plants • regulation of local climate
• oxygen replenishment • flood control
• erosion control
• pollution control
• pest control
• wildlife habitat
• repository of genes
“Ecosystem services” are direct and indirect benefits

humans receive from the environment.
Humans have directly benefitted from biodiversity.
Drugs derived from plants and animals.

Forest mushrooms
Tropical fruits
Andean Potatoes
A diverse ecosystem yields a diversity of foods.

Modern agriculture relies on vast monocultures of crop
plants; the exact opposite of diversity. Monocultures are
easier to harvest, but more vulnerable to diseases and
pests than mixed crops.
Permaculture and mixed-
crop agriculture supports a
diverse soil food web,
which supports the crops.
These methods tend to be
more labor-intensive.
• It is estimated that the Native Americans on
the east coast used over 200 different plants W
and several dozen different animals for O
food. By comparison, how diverse is our R
food supply? K
• What grains do you eat regularly? List as
T
many as you can think of.
O
• What other plants have you eaten in the G
past week? List as many as you can think E
of. T
H
• What animals and animal products (milk, E
eggs) have you eaten in the pats week ,if R
any? List as many as you can think of.
Humans also benefit indirectly from intact, diverse ecosystems.
Natural rivers meander, creating a richly diverse wetland

ecosystem.
Channelizing rivers, reducing
wetlands, and cutting down
trees along rivers changes the
ecosystem.
Loss of wetland diversity

means loss of species.
Sediments that would be
deposited along the river
system and in islands around
the mouth of the river flows
straight out to sea.
New Orleans was once
protected by the many
islands in the Mississippi
Delta.
Much of the sediment that

built those islands now
runs out to the sea. The
islands have eroded,
leaving less protection
against hurricanes.
The term “ecosystem services”
refers to:
1. Direct and indirect 33% 33% 33%
benefits humans receive
from the ecosystem.
2. How the ecosystem
supplies our needs even
when we extract
resources at a high rate.
3. When humans do
service projects to help
restore ecosystems.
1 2 3
E.O. Wilson on Biodiversity
TED Presentation
W
O
R
• According to E.O. Wilson, what is the K
importance of discovering and naming all
T
the species on Earth? O
G
• Have we named all or nearly all of the
E
species on our planet? T
H
E
R
Recap
• Biodiversity refers to the number of
different species in an ecosystem.
• Measures of biodiversity also take into
account the relative population sizes of
different species.
• Humans have a powerful effect on the
biodiversity of many ecosystems. Loss of
biodiversity can affect humans in turn.

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Biodiversity

Sections 18.4. 16.4, and 30.1

• The total number of species in a region is

Both of these “ecosystems” are equally diverse. Which is

• Specialization and resource partitioning

Directly used substances Indirect, beneficial services

“Ecosystem services” are direct and indirect benefits

Drugs derived from plants and animals.

A diverse ecosystem yields a diversity of foods.

Natural rivers meander, creating a richly diverse wetland

Loss of wetland diversity

Much of the sediment that

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