Biodiversity

Prof. Amogh JoshiARMIET

05/02/2023 1

Biodiversity

05/02/2023 2

• Variety of living things, number of kinds

• Ecological diversity– different habitats, niches,

species interactions• Species diversity

– different kinds of organisms, relationships among species

• Genetic diversity– different genes &

combinations of genes within populations

Levels of Biodiversity

• Alpha diversity: within particular area

• Beta diversity: within particular ecosystem

• Gamma diversity: overall diversity within all ecosystems.

05/02/2023 3

Benefits of Biodiversity• Ecosystem functions• Ecosystem services

• Cleaning water,• Cleaning air,• Habitat & breeding

areas for wildlife, …• Aesthetic and

cultural benefits

05/02/2023 4

Natural Resources• Vital economic natural resources– Renewable• Forests (plants, wildlife) • Soils • Fresh water (lakes, rivers)• Wildlife and fisheries• Rangeland

– Nonrenewable• Minerals • Fossil Fuels

505/02/2023

Natural Resources

• Management of natural resources– Assure availability of

resources for the future– Three “philosophies”

• Maximum sustained yield• Ecosystem-based

management • Adaptive management

05/02/2023 6

Benefits of Biodiversity• New food sources

– Grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish

05/02/2023 7

Benefits of Biodiversity• Medicines

• Plants• Jellyfish & sea

anemones• Nudibranchs

• Marine slugs

05/02/2023 8

Biodiversity• How much biodiversity

1.7—2.0 million speciesEstimates to 100 million

05/02/2023 9

Biodiversity

05/02/2023 10

• Where is the biodiversity– Everywhere

• Every continent and habitat has unique life forms

– Concentrated in the tropics• Panama: > 500 species of

breeding birds• Arctic: 50-100 species

– Dense concentrations

Threats to Biodiversity

• Extinction and population reductions– Hunting and overharvesting

• Tiger• Dodo• Whales• Sharks

– Habitat loss

05/02/2023 11

Threats to Biodiversity

• Extinction and population reductions– Pollution– Climate change– Invasive species

05/02/2023 12

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 13

• How can we protect biodiversity– Stop overharvesting

• Sustainable yield• Hunting & fishing laws

(every state ?)– in developing nations ?

– Protect habitat • Refuges, parks, preserves

– Endangered Species Act

Protecting Biodiversity

• Refuges, parks, preserves– How big should refuges be?–Where should they be?–McArthur & Wilson “Theory of Island

Biogeography”• colonization rate• extinction rate (local)• predicts number of species

05/02/2023 14

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 15

• Effect of island size • Effect of island distance

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 16

• McArthur & Wilson “Theory of Island Biogeography”– colonization rate– extinction rate (local)– predicts number of

species

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 17

• Island Biogeography– Island size predicts number of species

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 18

• Island Biogeography– Everyplace is an island– Habitat fragmentation

• Smaller fragments hold fewer species

Protecting Biodiversity• Endangered Species Act (1973)

– Goal to “recover” species so they no longer need protection under ESA– Implements U.S. participation in CITES

• “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species”• Prohibits trade in listed species

– whole organisms– parts: skins, bones, teeth, flowers, leaves, etc.

• Other laws:– Marine Mammal Protection Act– Migratory Bird Treaty Act– Anadromous Fish Conservation Act– etc.

05/02/2023 19

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 20

• Endangered Species Act (1973)– Listing of “endangered” and

“threatened” species– Restricts development of

habitats– Captive breeding programs

• Release of captive bred stocks to enhance or recover wild populations.

• http://www.fws.gov/endangered/

Protecting Biodiversity

05/02/2023 21

• Biodiversity “hotspots”– Protection of habitat