Threats to Biodiversity

Biodiversity

• What is biodiversity?– The total diversity of life

• Why is it important?– One of Earth’s greatest natural resources– Provides food and goods– Provides medicines– Loss of ecosystem stability– Biological life support system- How?– Video -- Why the Ocean Matters -- National Geogr

aphic

Air Pollution

• Pollution- water and air pollution– Microscopic air particles– Waste products from factories and sewers– Household chemicals poured down kitchen sink– Harmful effects- immediate or delayed– Examples of air pollution- smog & acid rain

• Is greenhouse effect and global warming the same thing?

Water Pollution

• Water pollution– Chemical contaminants,

raw sewage, trash– Can put entire

freshwater ecosystems at risk

Water Pollution

• Indicator species provide a sign of an ecosystem’s health– Amphibians– Top predators

Water Pollution

• Biomagnification causes accumulation of toxins in the food chain– Pollutants can move up

the food chain• Predators eat contaminated

prey• Pollution accumulates at

each stage of the food chain

– Top consumers, including humans are most affected

• Visual concept

Habitat Destruction

• Loss of habitat eliminates a species– Habitat fragmentation

prevents an organism from accessing its entire home range• Occurs when a barrier forms

within the habitat• Often caused by human

development

• Greatest threat to biodiversity= habitat destruction

Introduced Species

• Introduced species can disrupt stable relationships in an ecosystem– Species brought to an

ecosystem by humans• Accidental• Purposeful

– Invasive species can have an environmental and economic impact• Often push out native

species

Conserving Biodiversity

• Goals of conservation biology– Wise management of natural resources– Preservation of habitats and wildlife– Protection of biodiversity

• Why is it important to preserve entire ecosystems?– Ensure that natural habitats and interactions of

many different species are preserved at same time

Facts About Biodiversity

• Of the top-selling 150 prescription drugs—79% come from nature

• ¼ of all prescription medicines have ingredients from plants

• 40% of World’s Economy and 80% of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources