Biodiversity

Buensuceso, Jezzy Rae M. Mayo, Ma. Kathleen Alana V.

Biodiversity  contracted version of "biological

diversity”  referred to as the variety of life on Earth and its biological diversity  measure of the relative diversity among organisms present in different ecosystems

Biodiversity  the product of evolution which

started around 4 billion years ago  around the Equator is greatest  colder countries have fewer species than tropical countries

Types of Biodiversity  species diversity  refers to the variety of different living

things

 Genetic diversity  it refers to the variations between

individuals of a species

 ecosystem diversity  refers to the great variety of

environments produced by the interplay of the living and non-living world

Original Diversity on Earth

 Earth is gifted with around 1.4 million

living species of all kinds of organisms  approximately 750,000 of which are

insects  41,000 are vertebrates  250,000 are plants  remainder consists of a complex array of invertebrates, fungi, algae, and microorganisms

Current diversity on Earth

 Currently, new species are being

identified at the rate of around 13,000 a year, while at the same time 3,000 species each year are found to be synonyms of other species, which creates a net addition of roughly 10,000 species per year  Recent estimates show that the total species here on earth lie in the range 5 to 15 million

Current diversity on Earth

 only about 1.75 million species have

been formally described and given official names

Importance of Biodiversity

 Generation of soils and maintenance     

of soil quality Maintenance of air quality Maintenance of water quality Pest control Detoxification and decomposition of wastes Pollination and crop production

Importance of Biodiversity

 Climate stabilization  Prevention and mitigation of natural    

disasters Provision of food security Provision of health care Income generation Spiritual / cultural value

Factors leading to diversity of species

 Patterns of resource use- species which

compete with each other can still have a stable coexistence if they have adequately different functions in an ecosystem or patterns of resource use

 Means of distraction- do not only interrupt

the competitive marginalization between species, but they vigorously preserve the diversity of species as well

 Reduced opportunity for competition-

environments that are rich in species are mostly distinguished by stress-tolerant organisms adapted to a habitat that has a frequently low supply of nutrients

Factors leading to diversity of species

 Productivity- accessibility of energy and

resources is believed to limit the number of coexisting species in an environment

 Particular herbivores and

microorganisms-

Organisms such as parasites, pathogens, and predators that are particular to host species are believed to be effective in improving species diversity

 Environmental account/history- factors such as the depleted tree diversity of mild and boreal forests are sometimes perceived as an effect of the short period since the withdrawal of the previous glacier

Biodiversity in the Philippines  928 total species

 500 (or 57% of the total number of

species) are found only in the Philippines  The Philippines is one of the most diverse countries

Biodiversity in the Philippines  Factors that influence the

biodiversity in the Philippines: 1) Ice-age history: was believed to have a huge impact on the distribution of unique species in the country such as the tarsiers, flying lemurs, and pygmy squirrels

2) numerous habitats:

lowland forests, montane forests, and mossy forests

Biodiversity Loss  Population growth  Unfamiliarity with certain species

and ecosystems  Ineffective environmental policies  Consequences of global trading systems  Underestimating the worth of biodiversity

Preserving Biodiversity  Controlling the population-

does not refer to only human population, but to species population in general

 Awareness of the existence of

certain species and ecosystems  Efficient environmental policies  Conservation of certain goods

Conclusion  Although the strategies that were

mentioned could help in the preservation of biodiversity, there is one thing that everybody can do: to become aware of the existing issue regarding biodiversity loss. By doing this, other solutions and strategies would definitely follow and come out naturally.