NatSci 5 Biodiversity

8/12/2019 NatSci 5 Biodiversity

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WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?

* Alfonso & Dallmeier

(SI) / WRI / WWF)

variety of living things

on earth, to include

billions of speciesinhabiting land, air, &

aquatic ecosystems


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(Haribon) wealth of lifeforms on earth

encompassing billions of plants, animals, &

microorganisms, the genes they contain, andthe intricate ecosystems they weave into the

environment

provides basis for life on earth


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* Zamora (UP Diliman, QC)

sum total of variationsamong living organisms atthe genetic, species, andecosystem levels reflecting

the vast wealth of life thathas evolved through time

indicates patterns of

distribution of a variety ofgenetic and biologicalresources in both terrestrialand aquatic ecosystems


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a biological resource

(gene, species, ecosystem)

that has actual /potential

value to people

E.O. Wilson:

the stuff of life

found wherever there

is life, be it in thecities, countrysides,

backyard, homes


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IMPORTANCE OF

BIODIVERSITY Ethicalbasis for deciding what

is good or bad; right or wrong.

World Charter for NatureUNGen Assembly

every form of life is unique,

warranting respect regardless of

its worth to man and to accord

other organisms such recognition,

man must be guided by a moral

code of action


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*Food Resource

7 species provide

75% of human nutrition w/rice, maize, potatoproviding 50%

about 20% of protein

requirements of manonly 5000 our of 75000

edible plant species havebeen used by man for food

Temperate plants : 10 fruitspecies

Tropical plants : almost 200species with 3000 stillavailable


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* Health

1% tropical plants for medicaluse

only 5000 species of higherplants have been studied aspotential medicinal sources

About 119 pure chemicalsubstances are extracted from 90species of plants

40% of prescription drugs usedare derived from plant andanimal species

Amazonian Indians used 1,300

plant species as medicines


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Southeast Asian traditional healers use 6500

plant species as medicines

80% of people from Third World rely on

traditional medicines

At least 68 common plants in the Philippinesbeing used as medicines

3000 plants (70% in tropical rainforests)

identified by US National Cancer Instituteas having anti cancer properties


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+ Mexican yammass birth control agent

+ rosy periwinkleleukemia patients

+ white willow (Salix) w/ meadowsweet

(Spirea ulmaria)produce aspirin

+ Cinchona treequinine for malaria

+ Other major drugs derived from plantsinclude :Atropa belladonna, Camella sine

color, Cinnamomium camphora,

Erythroxylum coca, Papaver somniferum,

Digitalis purpurea, Colchicum authumale,


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Industries

+ Phil forests contribute only 1.7% to GNP

+ 40M bananas consumed yearly

+ 1.3M mangoes and 1.5M papayas

+ minor forest products (rattan, bamboo,

fruits, nuts, spices) worth $10B yearly+ 2100 plants w/ pest controlling property

+ natural starches (for fabrics, glue, soaps,

cosmetics, drugs, foods, film, explosives,

colourings, tires, preservatives for plasma)


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+ rubber as the worlds top crop

+ timber as the biggest wild plant contributor

to world trade valued at $40B yearly

+ 10,000 years worth of solar energy in one

year supply of coal alone

+ Uses: livelihood, recreation, aesthetic values

benefits in stabilizing water functions.regulates climate, protects / produces

soil, maintain life processes,


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THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE

BIODIVERSITY * Philippines as one of the worlds

megadiversity centers

+ rich and highly unique

+ TRF supports thousands of species

44% bird species

64% mammals+ many unique species exclusive in islands


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+ 67% of flora and fauna are endemic

+ out of 556 bird species, 44% endemic+ out of 180 mammals, 115 endemic

+ reptiles & amphibians, 73% endemic

** High percentage of endemicity+ 17460 km coastline, highly diverse

marine life (about 5000 marine species)

>coral reefs4000> seagrass beds481

> mangroves - 370


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* Out of 500 known coral species

in the world approx 400 speciesare in the Philippines serving

home to some 1,030 fishes and a

thousands of invertebrates


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BIODIVERSITY IN PERIL

+ Philippines as one of the hotspots

+ with highest number of threatened species

+ fast habitat destruction causing fastextinction rates

+ third in the world in the number of

globally threatened bird species+ first in the # of critically endangered /endangered endemic bird species


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+ marine habitats suffer the worst

- only 5% of coral reef are healthy

to support aquatic life

- mangroves reduced from 500,000 ha

(1018) to 112,400 ha (1997)

- 50% seagrass beds lost (same period)

** 57% land area forested (1930s), with the

rate of deforestation, by 2010, the forests

will only be 7%


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THREATS TO

BIODIVERSITY** Alarming trend

towards massive

ecological degradationand loss of diversity

with the continuous

destruction of habitats

and ecosystemssupporting diverse life

forms


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Causes / consequences of biodiversity loss

+ habitat alteration / destruction

+ overharvesting

+ improper use of agric chemicals

+ microclimatic change due toaltered land use patterns

+ poverty

+ population explosion

+ inequitable land distribution

+ pol/eco policies & constraints


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Impacts of Biodiversity

Loss* lack of sustainable supply of fuelwood

* rampant erosion of lands

* increase release of carbon dioxide(1890-1987: 60B metric tons of CO2)

* annual CO2 release 2.8B metric tons

* 33% of human based CO2 accounted

Forest ecosystems store 1,200 gigaton CO2; 80,0000 sq mi les of young forest: absorbs 1B tons

CO2 yearly


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ISSUES AND CONCERNS

* Biodiversity policy

* Sustainable use

* Sustainable agriculture* Biotechnology and property rights

* Community based management

* Public participation (incl women)* in situ / ex situ conservation measures

* climate change impacts


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* Biodiversity inventory and

research* Recognition of ancestral

domain and

traditional knowledge and

practices

* Gender issues

* Public education and

awareness* Institutional capacity

building

NatSci 5 Biodiversity

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