6.3 Biodiversity

What are the most significant threats to biodiversity?

Pollution, Habitat Fragmentation, Habitat loss, Overhunting/Harvesting, Exotic Species, Greenhouse effect.

Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is important because it provides us with Natural Resources (Food, Water, Wood, etc.) Natural Services (Pest Control, Air and Water Purification, etc.) and of course, Aesthetic Pleasure.

Ecological Hot spot

Small geographic area where significant numbers of habitats and species are in immediate danger of extinction

Genetic Diversity

Sum total of all the different foms of genetic information carried by a particular species, or by all organisms on earth

Habitat Fragmentation

Splitting of ecosystems into pieces

Species Diversity

Number of different species in the biosphere

How do we preserve biodiversity?

To conserve biodeversity, we must protect individual species, perserve habitats and ecosystems, and make certain that human neighbors of protecfted areas benefet form participating in conservation efforts.

Biodiversity

the variety of organisms considered at all levels from populations to ecosystems

Ecosystem Diversity

variety of habitats, living communities, and ecological processes in the living world