Biodiversity

What is biodiversity? …the number & variety of species on Earth. **Remember an ecosystem is more stable as diversity increases!!!***

How biodiverse is Earth? We have about 1.6 million known & named species. We have as many as 13 million species on Earth Included are different species of: Bacteria, Protists, Fungi, Plants and Animals.

What is causing the mass extinction we are now experiencing? HUMANS!

How are humans causing species to go extinct? 1) Destroying habitat – using areas for development, housing, etc…

2) Hunting & Poaching Many animals are killed for “sport” or for parts of their bodies considered valuable.

3) Alien species Exotic or alien species are being moved into locations not native to them and they out- compete native species or carry diseases.

Why is biodiversity important? 1)More diversity = More stability in an ecosystem 2) Each species has a role, removing one disrupts ALL other species.

3) Some species are “Keystone Species” – the well-being of the entire ecosystem depends on them! 4) Some species have known (and unknown) uses – medicine or food

5) Ethical reasons – conservation is the right thing to do because the other species have as much right to be here as we do.