Shieri Mae S.

Paulino

BSHM 3C

VI. LEARNING ACTIVITY #11

On Facebook, follow groups that promote biodiversity conservation. Post your video on Facebook about
environmental concerns through any activity (example to your backyard, tree planting, waste
management, etc.) and gather 10 likes or more of your work. This is 50 points in your grades.

VII. ASSIGNMENT #11

1. Define biodiversity and give three types of biodiversity essential in preserving ecological systems
and functions.

The term “biodiversity” refers to the variety of living organisms. Biodiversity brings together the
different species and forms of life (animal, plant, entomological and other) and their variability, that is to
say, their dynamics of evolution in their ecosystems. Traditionally, there are three levels of biodiversity:
genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Genetic diversity is about the diversity of genes existing in the living world. Between and within different
species there are different genes and different expressions of genes. And this genetic variability
contributes to the multiplicity of life forms, physical and biological characteristics and, depending on the
interaction with the environment, phenotypes.

Ecosystem biodiversity refers to the variety of ecosystems, by their nature and number, where living
species interact with their environment and with each other. For example, on Earth, there are different
ecosystems, each with their specificities like deserts, oceans, lakes, plains, or forests. And even within
these ecosystems, there are special details like cold or hot deserts, boreal or tropical forests, warm or
cold-water coastal region. Each ecosystem has its own peculiarities, species, and ways of functioning.

We speak of species diversity to describe the diversity of living species. There are millions of living
species on Earth. They’re all different and divided into groups depending on their specificities (insects,
animals, plants, fungi …). Species diversity is often separated into two categories:

Intraspecies Diversity:

Intraspecific diversity refers to the genetic variation of individuals and populations of the same species.
Humans having white or black skin, blond or brown hair, blue or green eyes is one of the many examples
of intraspecific biodiversity.
Interspecies Diversity:

On the contrary, interspecific biodiversity refers to the diversity of living species among themselves: by
their number, their nature, and their relative importance. Let’s say humans (or sapiens sapiens), a
species with currently 7.7 billion organisms, have a higher diversity than, for instance, the low number
of African elephants that are currently facing extinction.

2. How do humans benefit from biodiversity?

The security of food and nutrition, energy, the production of pharmaceuticals and medications, and
access to freshwater all of which are essential for good health are just a few of the human and social
requirements that biodiversity supports. Additionally, it promotes employment prospects and leisure
pursuits that improve wellbeing in general.

3. Why are GM foods produced?

Because there is a perceived benefit to either the producer or the consumer of these meals, GM foods
are created and sold. This should result in a product that is either less expensive, has more value (in
terms of strength or nutrition), or both. Initially, GM seed manufacturers focused on advances that
would directly help farmers in order to gain acceptance for their goods among farmers (and the food
industry generally).

Enhancing crop security is one of the goals of creating plants based on GM organisms. The major goal of
the GM crops now available on the market is to boost crop protection, either by introducing resistance
to plant diseases brought on by insects or viruses or by increasing herbicide tolerance.