REACTION PAPER

(BOOK 2) CHAPTER 5 Biomes and Biodiversity

Name: Rhea A. Amistoso BSA 2-B

Summary:
Biological communities are strongly shaped by temperature ranges and the availability of

moisture. Biome is a term we use to describe these broad classes of biological communities. If

we know the range of temperature and precipitation in a particular place, we can generally

predict what kind of biome is likely to occur there, in the absence of human disturbance. An

important characteristic of each biome is its biodiversity, or the number and variety of biological

species that live there. These are the biomes: tropical rainforest, subtropical moist forest, tropical

and subtropical seasonal forests, tropical grasslands and savannas, deserts and dry scrublands,

temperate rainforest, tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn, temperate conifer forests,

temperate broad-leaf and mixed forests Mediterranean woodlands and scrub, temperate

grasslands and savannas, boreal forests, tundra Rock and ice Montane grasslands and scrublands.

Diversity can have many benefits. It may help biological communities withstand environmental

stress and recovers from disturbances, such as fire, drought, storms, or pest invasions. In a

diverse community some species are likely to survive disturbance, so that ecological functions

persist, even if some resident species disappear. Areas isolated by water, deserts, or mountains

can also have high concentrations of unique species and biodiversity. Wild plant species make

important contributions to human food supplies. Genetic material from wild plants has been used

to improve domestic crops. Extinction rates are far higher now than in the past. Habitat loss,

climate change, invasive species, pollution, and overharvesting, all enhanced by population
growth, are the main threats to biodiversity. Invasive species seriously threaten islands and

specialized habitats.

Personal Reaction:

In this chapter I learned about extinction, the elimination of a species, is a normal process

of the natural world. Species die out and are replaced by others, often their own descendants, as

part of evolutionary change. In undisturbed ecosystems the rate of extinction appears to be about

one species lost every decade. The most important extinction threat for most species especially

terrestrial ones is habitat loss. A remote island is hard for terrestrial organisms to reach, so new

species rarely arrive and establish new populations. An island near other land may have new

arrivals frequently. At the same time, the population of any single species on a small island is

likely to be small and therefore vulnerable to extinction. A major threat to native biodiversity in

many places is from accidentally or deliberately introduced species. Called a variety of names

alien, exotic, non-native, nonindigenous, pests’ invasive species are organisms that thrive in new

territory where they are free of predators, diseases, or resource limitations that may have

controlled their population in their native habitat. Humans have always transported organisms

into new habitats, but the rate of movement has risen sharply in recent years with the huge

increase in speed and volume of travel by air, water, and land. Some species are deliberately

released because people believe they will be aesthetically pleasing or economically beneficial.

Global wildlife populations have declined by more than a third because of expanding agriculture,

urbanization, and other human activities. The human population growth curve is leveling off, but

it remains unclear whether we can reduce poverty and provide a tolerable life for all humans

while preserving healthy natural ecosystems and a high level of biodiversity. I really learned and
realized a lot of things about this topic, its not only for learning but an eye opener for everyone

of us to preserve and protect our environment because that is our duty.