Please pass back the new objective sheet and read the board!Please get out paper for notes.

Dig it!

ARE THESE WORTH PROTECTING?

WHY SHOULD WE PROTECT BIODIVERSITY?

THREE TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY

Ecosystem biodiversitySpecies biodiversityGenetic biodiversity

ECOSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY:DIFFERENT TYPES OF EACH BIOME – THERE’S NOT JUST ONE KIND OF GRASSLAND!

GREAT PLAINS

ECOSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY:TEMPERATE RAINFOREST AND TROPICAL RAINFOREST

CONIFEROUS FORESTS AND TEXAS DECIDUOUS FORESTS

GENETIC BIODIVERSITY: THE GENE POOL (TOTAL DNA) OF A SPECIES

If a species is too inbred, they could be more vulnerable to disease.

They might not be able to handle changes in their environment well.

GENETIC BIODIVERSITY

SPECIES DIVERSITY

5 REASONS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY

1. Medicinal 2. Agricultural 3. Commercial 4. Ecological 5. Ethical/Aesthetic

REASON #1:MEDICINAL

40% of modern medicines come from plants/animals/fungi

95% of known plant species have never been tested for medicinal value

Rosy Periwinkle: Hodgkin’s disease and lymphocytic leukemia

PACIFIC YEW – TAXOL CANCER MEDICINE

TH

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EEM

TR

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RO

M IN

DIA

Historically used to clean teeth, skin disorders, insect repellent.

What chemical does it contain?

Could it be used at a commercial level to help more people?

REASON #2: COMMERCIAL

Harvesting: Shrimp industry

harvesting: Recreational hunting

COMMERCIAL: ECOTOURISM

Visiting Nature Preserves Whale Watching

ECOTOURISM

Austin’s bat colony Snorkling

ECOTOURISM

Mountain biking Whitewater Rafting

BIOMIMICRY - ENGINEERING DESIGNS BASED ON NATURAL SYSTEMS

BIOMIMICRY – BULLET TRAIN INSPIRED BY KINGFISHER’S BILL

BIOMIMICRY – ENGINEERING DESIGNS BASED ON NATURAL SYSTEMS

Whale fins – better wind turbines

Underwater plants – floating energy harvesters

REASON #3: AGRICULTURAL

Of 80,000 known edible plants on the planet, we depend on 20 species to provide 90% of global food supply.

Corn, rice, soy and wheat are 50% alone!

RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON LIMITED VARIETY CAN BE DANGEROUS

1841-1851

LOSS OF DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURE

Apples – 14,000 apple cultivars in N. America have been reduced to 11 which supply 90% of our supply

Coffee – 28% decline in Latin American production as climate change has brought new rainfall and pest patterns

NEW OPTIONS?

Winged Bean of New Guinea Katemfe berry

GENES FROM MODERN CATTLE THAT CARRY AUROCH GENES WILL BE BRED TO LOOK AND ACT LIKE EXTINCT AUROCH. THESE WILL BE ABLE TO BROWSE ON BEECH TREES WHICH ARE CHOKING EUROPE’S WOODS

POLLINATORS

REASON #4: ECOLOGICAL

Food webs Symbiotic

relationships Indicator species US Fish and Wildlife

Service estimates that losing one plant can trigger the loss of 30 other species

Food webs Simba says it’s all connected!

ECOLOGICAL

Ecosystem services!

Air purification Water filtration Climate control

(absorbing CO2) Gene bank Soil building

REASON #5: AESTHETICS/RECREATION/SPIRITUAL/MORAL

1.5 million KNOWN species

More are discovered every year

We are ONE species Biodiversity enriches our lives!

“ENDANGERED MEANS THERE’S STILL TIME!” Threatened Endangered Extinct

SO DID WE MEET OUR OBJECTIVES TODAY?

3 types of biodiversity

5 reasons to protect species

Threatened Endangered Extinct

HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEKEND

Endangered species index card!