BIODIVERSITY

A B

Which do you like better?

A B

Which do you like better?

A B

Which do you like better?

What do you think the word “biodiversity” means?

Bio =

Biodiversity

What does “Bio” mean?

Biodiversity

Diversity = Variety

What does “Diversity” mean?

Biodiversity The variety of all forms of

life and genes in an ecosystem, biome or planet.

Copy this definition on page 1 of your notebook.

How many species of insects do you think are on this planet?

Justify your answer.

How many species total do you think are on this planet?

Vertebrates Amphibians

6,199

Birds 9,956Fish 30,000Mammals 5,416Reptiles 8,240Subtotal 59,811

Invertebrates Insects 950,000Mollusks 81,000Crustaceans

40,000

Corals 2,175Others 130,200Subtotal 1,203,375

Plants Mosses 15,000Ferns and allies

13,025

Gymnosperms 980Dicotyledons 199,350Monocotyledons

59,300

Green Algae 3,715Red Algae 5,956Subtotal 297,326

Others Lichens 10,000Mushrooms 16,000Brown Algae

2,849

Subtotal 28,849

Total number of species on earth is…

1,589,361+

Source: The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) 2007 Red List

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.

Threats to biodiversity

Habitat destructionPollution

Species IntroductionsGlobal Climate Change

Exploitation

Are we still discovering new species?

Answer the following questions on page 6. Title the page

“Biodiversity: Good or Bad?” 1. What would happen to your lawn if you

never took care of it? Would it become healthier or less so?

2. Is the earth becoming more or less diverse? Justify your answer.

3. Is biodiversity good for the earth or bad for the earth? Justify your answer.