1. Conservation and Biodiversity
4.1 Biodiversity in ecosystems

2. Assessment Statements
4.1.1 Define the terms biodiversity, genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity
4.1.2 Outline the mechanism of natural selection as a possible driving force for speciation.
4.1.3 State that isolation can lead to different species being produced that are unable to interbreed to yield fertile offspring.
4.1.4 Explain how plate activity has influenced evolution and biodiversity.
4.1.5 Explain the relationships among ecosystem stability, diversity, succession and habitat.

3. Genetic Diversity: Different genetic characteristics of a species.
4.1.1 Define the terms biodiversity, genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity
Biodiversity: amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. Consists of species, habitat, and genetic diversity
Genetic Diversity: Different genetic characteristics of a species.
Cheetah populations have very low diversity, due to inbreeding

4. 4.1.1 Define the terms biodiversity, genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity
Species diversity – the variety of species per unit area; includes the number of species present and their relative abundance.

5. 4.1.1 Define the terms biodiversity, genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity
Habitat Diversity: The amount of habitats or niches in a given area
Variety of forests, deserts, grasslands, lakes, oceans, coral reefs, wet lands, and other biological communities.
Chaparral Coniferous forest dessert grasslands deciduous forest

6. Biodiversity: Why should we care?
Diverse ecosystems are more stable and more healthy
More resistant to damage from factors like climate change and spread of disease
Provides important ecological services to humans
Biodiversity is useful to us as humans
Recreation
Food
Goods
Medicine

7. Ecological Services of Biodiversity
Flow of material, energy in the biosphere
Photosynthesis
Pollination
Soil formation and maintenance
Nutrient cycling
Moderation of weather extremes
Purification of air and water

8. Important “stuff” From biodiversity
Food, fuel, ecosystems, species, fiber, lumber, paper….
90% of all food crops
40% of all medicines and 85% of all antibiotics
Willow Tree - Aspirin
Pacific Yew – Taxol (cancer drug)

9. Biodiversity of Species

10. Each Species and Process…
Is key to the overall function of earth
In general Diversity = Stability
Biodiversity is
Nature’s insurance policy against change
The source of all natural capital for human use
The way chemical materials are cycled and purified
The end result of millions of years of evolution and irreplaceable

11. The 19 Most Biodiverse countries in the world.
China
Myanmar
India
Mexico
Venezuela
Costa Rica
Philippines
Colombia
Cameroon
Ethiopia
Ecuador
Malaysia
Zaire
Brazil
Peru
Indonesia
Madagascar
Australia
South Africa
The 19 Most Biodiverse countries in the world.
What is the Problem with this?

12. Biodiversity Hotspots need special consideration
Polynesia
and
Micronesia
island
complex
Caucasus
Mountains of south
central China
Mediterranean
basin
California
Floristic
Province
Indo-
Burma
Meso-american
forests
Philippines
Caribbean
Eastern Arc Mountains
and coastal forests
of Kenya and Tanzania
Brazillian
Cerrado
Choco/Darien/
western Ecuador
Guinean
forests of
West
Africa
Western
Ghats and
Sri Lanka
Wallacea
Sundaland
Tropical
Andes
Succulent
Karoo
Brazil's
Atlantic
forests
Madagascar/
Indian Ocean
islands
New
Caledonia
Polynesia and
Micronesia
island
complex
Central
Chile
Cape Floristic
region of
South Africa
Southwest
Australia
New Zealand
Biodiversity Hotspots need special consideration

13. Hotspots These areas need emergency conservation attention
Especially rich in endemic plant and animal species (found nowhere else in the world)
They cover on 1.4% of world land area
Mostly tropical forests
Contain 60% of identified terrestrial biodiversity
55% of all primates, 22% of all carnivores
1.1 billion people living in poverty near these sites
$500 million annually would go far to ensure their preservation

14. Diversity includes
Richness: The number of species per sample is a measure of richness.
 The more species present in a sample, the “richer” the sample.
Evenness: A measure of the relative abundance of the different species making up the richness of an area.

15. Which sample is more diverse?
Flower Species
Sample 1
Sample 2
Daisy
300 20
Dandelion
335 49
Buttercup
365
931
Total
1000
Which has a higher richness? Evenness?

16. Quantifiying this Diversity – Simpson’s Index
D = N (N – 1)
∑ n (n – 1)
Where D = diversity index
N = total # of organisms of all species
n = # of individuals of particular species

17. Now practice the simpson’s index
Species
Number (n)
n (n – 1)
Woodrush 2
Holly seedlings 8
Bramble 1
Yorkshire Fog
Sedge 3
Total (N)

18. Now practice the simpson’s index
Species
Number (n)
n (n – 1)
Woodrush 2
Holly seedlings 8
Bramble 1
Yorkshire Fog
Sedge 3
Total (N) 15

19. Now practice the simpson’s index
Species
Number (n)
n (n – 1)
Woodrush 2
Holly seedlings 8 56
Bramble 1
Yorkshire Fog
Sedge 3 6
Total (N) 15 64
15(14) / 64 =3.28

20. High values of “D” suggests a stable and ancient site
A low value of “D” could suggest pollution, recent colonization, or agricultural management
Index normally used in studies of vegetation but can be applied to comparisons of diversity of any species

21. How does diversity exist?
Natural Selection = survival of the fittest
Fitness = a measure of reproductive success
If all individuals are variable
And populations produce large numbers of offspring without increase in population size
And resources are limited
And traits are heritable

22. How does diversity exist?
Those individuals who are best adapted to the environment will survive and pass on their genes
Gradually the gene frequency in the population will represent more of these “fit” individuals