1. Biodiversity

2. Which do you like better?A

3. Which do you like better?A B

4. Which do you like better?A B

5. Which do you like better?A

6. Which do you like better?A B

7. Which do you like better?A B

8. What do you think biodiversity means?

9. Biodiversity
What does “Bio” mean?
Life
Bio =

10. Biodiversity Diversity = Variety
What does “Diversity”
mean?
Diversity = Variety

11. Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things
Scientists have identified more than 2
million species. Tens of millions -- remain
unknown
The tremendous variety of life on Earth is made
possible by complex interactions among all
living things including microscopic species like
algae and mites.

12. Why is biodiversity important?
Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity
where each species, no matter how small, all
have an important role to play
Greater species diversity ensures natural
sustainability for all life forms
Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and
recover from a variety of disasters and environmental change.
Information obtained from:

13. Why is biodiversity important?
To prevent the well known and well
documented problems of genetic defects
caused by in-breeding, species need a variety
of genes to ensure successful survival of fittest.
Without this, the chances of extinction
increases.1
The greater the diversity that exists within a
family or species of an organism, the more likely
it is to survive environmental change. However,
ecosystems are being destroyed, animals and
plants becoming extinct, and biodiversity is being
lost due to increased human activity.2
Information obtained from:
Information obtained from:

14. Why is biodiversity important?
Although environments would be shifting and
evolving regardless of human influence, it is
necessary to understand that humans are
causing the rate of change to become
particularly dangerous.
Environmental conditions are changing so
quickly that individual species as well as entire
ecosystems are struggling, and often failing, to
adapt.
For these reasons, it is very important that we
protect biodiversity and the natural environment.
Information on this slide was adapted from:

15. Examples of Biodiversity
Chihuahua
Rottweilers
Beagle

16. Examples of Biodiversity
Image from:

17. Which is more diverse? B A

18. Which is more diverse? A B

19. Which is more diverse? A B

20. Which has more biodiversity?

21. Which has more biodiversity?

22. Should we be concerned about biodiversity?
What we know: The Earth is losing species at an alarming rate
Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 species per hour are going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur each year.
When species of plants and animals go extinct, many other species are affected (remember how energy is transferred in food chains and food webs).

23. Some Threats to biodiversity
Habitat destruction
Pollution
Species Introductions
Global Climate Change
Exploitation
An adaptation of this PowerPoint can be retrieved online from: