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Threats to Biodiversity
Biodiversity
• What is biodiversity?– The total diversity of life
• Why is it important?– One of Earth’s greatest natural resources– Provides food and goods– Provides medicines– Loss of ecosystem stability– Biological life support system- How?– Video -- Why the Ocean Matters -- National Geogr
aphic
Air Pollution
• Pollution- water and air pollution– Microscopic air particles– Waste products from factories and sewers– Household chemicals poured down kitchen sink– Harmful effects- immediate or delayed– Examples of air pollution- smog & acid rain
• Is greenhouse effect and global warming the same thing?
Water Pollution
• Water pollution– Chemical contaminants,
raw sewage, trash– Can put entire
freshwater ecosystems at risk
Water Pollution
• Indicator species provide a sign of an ecosystem’s health– Amphibians– Top predators
Water Pollution
• Biomagnification causes accumulation of toxins in the food chain– Pollutants can move up
the food chain• Predators eat contaminated
prey• Pollution accumulates at
each stage of the food chain
– Top consumers, including humans are most affected
• Visual concept
Habitat Destruction
• Loss of habitat eliminates a species– Habitat fragmentation
prevents an organism from accessing its entire home range• Occurs when a barrier forms
within the habitat• Often caused by human
development
• Greatest threat to biodiversity= habitat destruction
Introduced Species
• Introduced species can disrupt stable relationships in an ecosystem– Species brought to an
ecosystem by humans• Accidental• Purposeful
– Invasive species can have an environmental and economic impact• Often push out native
species
Conserving Biodiversity
• Goals of conservation biology– Wise management of natural resources– Preservation of habitats and wildlife– Protection of biodiversity
• Why is it important to preserve entire ecosystems?– Ensure that natural habitats and interactions of
many different species are preserved at same time
Facts About Biodiversity
• Of the top-selling 150 prescription drugs—79% come from nature
• ¼ of all prescription medicines have ingredients from plants
• 40% of World’s Economy and 80% of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources
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