Nahuel IunesAndMariano Obsert

Biodiversity is the degreeof variation of life formswithin agiven species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet.Biodiversity is a measure ofthe health of ecosystems.Biodiversity is in part afunction of climate.

Spontaneous Generation - Redi

Louis Pasteur

Evolution - Darwin

The doctrine of Spontaneous Generation holds that organic life could and does arise from inorganic matter. To test his hypothesis, Redi performed one of the first known experiments to utilize a "control group.

Redi placed meat in three flasks -- one open, one sealed and one covered with gauze. Maggots appeared in the open flask, as the flies were able to reach the meat. Maggots did not appear in the sealed flask or the flask covered by gauze. At the time, this experiment was not thought to disprove Spontaneous Generation. It merely proved that maggots did not come from meat.

Louis Pasteur thought that bacteria could not develop this way (by spontaneous generation), like in sealed containers, because the life force could not get in. The theory of spontaneous generation was finally laid to rest in 1859 by the young French chemist, Louis Pasteur.

He boiled meat broth in a flask, heated the neck of the flask in a flame until it became pliable, and bent it into the shape of an S. Air could enter the flask, but airborne microorganisms could not - they would settle by gravity in the neck. As Pasteur had expected, no microorganisms grew. When Pasteur tilted the flask so that the broth reached the lowest point in the neck, where any airborne particles would have settled, the broth rapidly became cloudy with life. Pasteur had both refuted the theory of spontaneous generation and convincingly demonstrated that microorganisms are everywhere, including the air we breath.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution - The PremiseDarwin's Theory of Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor. Darwin's general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) "descent with modification". That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell, as random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival -- a process known as "natural selection.

Has displayed an ongoing biodiversityreduction and an accompanying lossof genetic diversity. Named the Holoceneextinction, the reduction is caused primarilyby humanimpacts, particularly habitat destruction.Conversely, biodiversity impacts humanhealth in a number of ways, both positivelyand negatively.

Purchase goods and services from companies that are environmentally responsible. Purchase goods from responsible companies in your local area; this cuts down on the pollution generated in long-distance transportation.

Plant a garden of native plants around your home or at your school. In this way you can help to preserve plant species as well as create habitat for wildlife.

Plant heirloom crops in your garden, and practice seed saving.* Remove invasive species from your property.

Use natural gardening techniques as alternatives to pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers

Maintain valuable wildlife habitat on your property, such as large trees, wetlands and natural shoreline.

Consider donating part of your land to a preservation agency, or placing a conservation covenant on your land to protect valuable natural areas from future development.

Reduce automobile pollution (one of the largest sources of pollution and damage to species and ecosystems) by driving less, carpooling, cycling, keeping your car properly tuned and maintained and switching to a more efficient vehicle.

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