Unit 1:

Biological Diversity
~Science 9 ~
 INDEX
➢ Topic 1: Biological Diversity & Survival

➢ Topic 2: Habitat and Lifestyle

➢ Topic 3: Passing it On

➢ Topic 4: Wearing Your Genes

➢ Topic 5: DNA and Chromosomes

➢ Topic 6: Natural & Artificial Selection

➢ Topic 7: The Sixth Extinction

➢ Topic 8: Preserving Biodiversity

 TOPIC 1: BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY AND SURVIVAL
I Can…
➢ Describe the importance of variation in living things & why
such variation occurs

➢ Provide examples of variations among and between species

➢ Identify the role of variation in strengthening ecosystems

under changing environmental conditions
 Variations
Visible differences in behaviour or physical traits may be
observed between all organisms…

These differences are known as

variations
Variations obviously occur between different
species (interspecific variations)...

➢ There are over 8.7

MILLION different
species on Earth that we
know of today, the
majority of which are
plants, insects, and
microorganisms

➢ Nearly 10,000 new

species are discovered
each year!
 However, variations occur within each
species as well (intraspecific variations)...

*A species is any group of organisms that are able to

interbreed and produce fertile offspring due to
similarities in their genetic code
 Biodiversity
Biological diversity refers to the variation
of life on Earth…

➢ It is a measurement of the
interspecific and
intraspecific variation that
exists within an ecosystem.
➢ The more variations that
are observed, the greater
the biodiversity.
➢ Which ecosystem is more
diverse: a coral reef or a
desert?
 But why does such
variation occur???

(Hint: What benefit might species gain

from variation?)
 Adaptations
Variations in physical and behavioural characteristics may allow
organisms to better survive in their particular environment…

Example: Skin colour

Humans need sunlight to survive, as it permits the
absorption of vitamin D. However, without any
protection from the sun, harsh UV rays can damage cells.
 Variations that help an organism
survive are known as adaptations...

➢ Adaptations may be structural

(differences in physical traits that
we can see) or behavioral
(differences in how an organism
acts)

* Note that not all traits are adaptations; although

most characteristics of an organism have evolved
to serve a purpose, some traits are simply the “by-
product” of another characteristic (e.g. The
chemical composition of blood causes it to reflect
red light. While blood chemistry is an adaptation,
the red colour of blood is not)
 Natural Selection
● Both types of adaptations are the result of
genetic variation.
● If a variation helps an organism survive in a
particular environment, that organism will be
more likely to reproduce. As a result, the
variation will likely be passed on to offspring
through their DNA. This is referred to as
natural selection.
● Eventually, certain variations become more
common in one particular population of a
species, causing populations to become very
different over time.
● Speciation or evolution occurs when two
populations become so different that they can
no longer interbreed.
For example...

Speciation is
primarily driven by
changes in the
environment. Genetic
variation is present
prior to such change,
but only when specific
variations increase
the chances of
survival do they
become more
common in a
population.
Collectively, this process is referred to
as evolution.

Evolution via natural selection is one mechanism

responsible for Earth’s incredible biodiversity.
 The Value of Variation

Species and ecosystems with a high biodiversity are more

likely to survive than those with a low biodiversity. This is
because they are better at adapting to change.

Example 1:
Mountain pine beetles are
especially fond of one particular
species of tree, the lodgepole
pine. Forests with diverse
vegetation are able to withstand
an infestation, while forests
consisting of just lodgepole pine
are completely wiped out.
Example 2: “The Terrifying Truth About Bananas”

Variation is important!
 Measuring Diversity
A measurement called the diversity index can be
used to assess the relative health of an ecosystem.

➢ The diversity index of an ecosystem is

calculated by dividing the number of
different species in a given area by the
total number of organisms in that same
area.
➢ A high diversity index is generally
indicative of a healthy ecosystem.
 Ecosystems that are closer to the equator tend to have a higher
diversity index because they receive more sunlight and more rain,
and can therefore support more varieties of plant species.
 TOPIC 2: HABITAT AND
LIFESTYLE
I Can…
➢ Identify examples of niches and discuss the role of
variation in enabling closely related individuals to survive
in the same ecosystem
➢ Investigate and interpret dependencies among species
○ provide examples of symbiotic relationships
○ classify symbiotic relationships as mutualism, commensalism,
or parasitism
 The Niche
Adaptations allow each organism to play a specific role in
their particular environment. This role, which includes where
it lives and what it eats, its predators, and its method of
reproduction, is known as its niche.
 A foxes niche, for example,
includes the following:

● Habitat = lives in forests or grasslands

● Food source = mice, insects, berries
● Predators = coyotes, bears
● Reproduction = sexual
 Variations permit closely related species
who may compete for the same resources
to co-exist within the same niche...

Darwin’s finches, for example, all have unique beaks adapted to

different foods, allowing them to occupy the same niche while avoiding
competition with one another
 Generalists vs. Specialists

➢ Species who tend to occupy a

broad niche are said to be
generalists. That is, they have
adaptations which allow them
to survive in a variety of
different environments.

➢ Species who tend to occupy a

narrow niche are said to be
specialists. That is, they have
adaptations which allow them
to thrive in a single
environment.
Why might specialization be dangerous
in terms of species survival?

The entire population of the Banff Springs snail is

restricted to five hot pools in Banff, AB. This
species is currently endangered.
 Most specialists live near the tropics, where the
climate is more predictable. Because specialists are
adapted to survive in one particular niche, they tend to
develop some very unusual characteristics...

Unfortunately, specialists are more at risk for

endangerment compared to generalists, as any slight
alteration in their environment could impact their
ability to survive.
 Symbiotic Relationships
Many organisms rely on other species for survival. A
relationship in which two different species live in direct contact
is known as symbiosis. There are three types of symbiotic
relationships:
1) Mutualism
Both organisms benefit from the relationship
(e.g. humans & intestinal bacteria)

2) Parasitism
One organism benefits from the relationship at
the cost of the other
(e.g. mosquitos & mammals)

3) Commensalism
One organism benefits from the relationship
while the other receives neither benefit nor harm
(e.g. remora fish & sharks)
Taking parasitism to a new level...
 TOPIC 3: PASSING IT ON

I Can…
➢ Distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction
➢ Describe and provide examples of binary fission, budding,
asexual spores, and asexual reproduction in plants
➢ Describe and provide examples of zygospores, bacterial
conjugation, and sexual reproduction in plants & animals
➢ Compare the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and
asexual reproduction
 Genes & Heritability
Characteristics that are passed on from parents to their
offspring are said to be heritable.

These traits are passed down through their genes, the

genetic material contained within the nucleus of each and
every cell in your body
 Reproductive Strategies
Not all species reproduce the same way…

1) ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
➢ Involves just one parent
➢ Offspring are duplicates, or
clones of the parent; they have
the same genetic material and
thus the same characteristics

2) SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
➢ Involves two parents
➢ Offspring possess 50% of parent
A’s genetic info, and 50% of
parent B’s genetic info; they thus
have a combination of parental
characteristics
 ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Why have some species evolved to reproduce
asexually??? What might be some advantages
of asexual reproduction?

➢ No need to find a mate

➢ Rapid reproduction
(can produce lots of
offspring)
Disadvantages of asexual
reproduction???
Types of Asexual Reproduction:

a. Binary Fission
b. Asexual Spores
c. Budding
d. Asexual reproduction
in plants
 Binary Fission

➢ Used by one-celled
Kind of like this...
organisms such as
amoeba
➢ The organism
duplicates its own
DNA and splits into
two genetically
identical cells
➢ As a result, all
offspring are identical
 Asexual Spores
➢ Used mainly by fungi (e.g.
mushrooms)
➢ Organism’s genetic info is
copied in each single-celled
spore, which are released and
spread through wind, rain, etc.
➢ Some spores, known as
zoospores, have a flagella (a
tail-like structure) to help them
move around
➢ Spores grow into an exact copy
of the parent
Budding
➢ Used by smaller animals such as
sea sponges and hydra
➢ As the organism grows, one of
its cells will form a bud and
start to grow on its own
➢ When the bud has completely
developed, it detaches
➢ The bud is an exact copy of the
original organism
 Asexual Reproduction in Plants
➢ Also known as vegetative
reproduction
➢ The growing tips of plant roots
and stems contain areas of rapidly
reproducing cells called the
meristem
➢ When a plant is damaged, these
meristem cells can create copies of
the damaged cells, allowing the
plant to continue to grow
➢ By taking a cutting of the
meristem, you can grow an exact
copy of the plant
Asexual Reproduction in Plants

➢ Plants also reproduce by

using runners, stems that
lay along the ground and
form roots to create a new,
genetically identical plant
➢ Bulbs and tubers are also
forms of asexual
reproduction in plants
 SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Why have some species evolved to reproduce
sexually? What might be some advantages of
sexual reproduction?

➢ Increases genetic
diversity of
populations, therefore
promoting natural
selection
Disadvantages of sexual
reproduction???
 Types of Sexual Reproduction:
a. Zygospores
b. Bacterial Conjugation
c. Sexual Reproduction in Plants
➢ Gymnosperms
➢ Angiosperms
a. Sexual Reproduction in
Animals
➢ External fertilization
➢ Internal fertilization

*** Note that all forms of sexual reproduction involve equal genetic input from both
parents in the form of gametes (eggs & sperm), which combine to form a single
fertilized cell or zygote. The zygote is genetically different from both of the parents.
***
 Zygospores
(Not to be confused with zoospores!)

➢ Produced from two different organisms of the same

species (e.g. mold cells)
➢ Created when a spore is given genetic info from two
sources; results in a blending of DNA
Bacterial Conjugation
➢ Some bacteria are able to simply
transfer genetic material directly from
one cell to another
➢ No new cell is formed (so technically it
is not reproduction), but both bacteria
involved in the transfer end up having a
new combination of genes
➢ Bacteria with this mixture of genetic
info will eventually reproduce using
binary fission, resulting in many
duplicates of the new bacteria
➢ Allows for variation and new inherited
traits to be passed on
 Sexual Reproduction in Plants
GYMNOSPERMS (“naked seeds”)
➢ used by conifers such as spruce, pine
and fir
➢ do not form flowers or fruit; instead,
seeds are produced inside of cones

ANGIOSPERMS (“covered seeds”)

➢ used by flowering plants
➢ produce seeds that are covered by fruit
➢ seed is formed when the pollen
(sperm) and the ovule (egg) unite
during pollination
 Sexual Reproduction in Animals
Egg & sperm from two different organisms of the same species (male &
female) meet to produce a fertilized zygote, which then develops into a
new organism with new genetic info. This can occur in two ways:

1) EXTERNAL FERTILIZATION
➢ Egg is fertilized outside the body
➢ Used by fish & amphibians
➢ Requires a moist environment
(so sperm can swim to the egg, and
the zygote won’t dry out)
 Sexual Reproduction in Animals
2) INTERNAL FERTILIZATION
➢ Egg is fertilized inside the body
➢ Used by mammals, birds, and insects

* Note that just because the egg is

fertilized inside the body does not mean
that it always develops inside the body (e.
g. birds use internal fertilization, but
after the zygote forms a shell develops
around the growing embryo, and the bird
lays the egg. The embryo will finish
developing outside the mother)
 Sexual Reproduction in Animals
Advantages and disadvantages of internal fertilization:

Advantages Disadvantages
sperm, egg, and zygote are both male and female must be
protected within the mother’s present
body

greater chance of fertilization greater time and energy

occurring investment required

gametes are kept warm and moist

 Sexual Reproduction in Animals
Because sexual reproduction requires a mate, some pretty
strange behaviours, or mating rituals, have evolved...
TOPIC 4: WEARING YOUR GENES

I Can…
➢ Identify examples of both discrete and continuous variation
➢ Investigate how characteristics are passed down from parents to
offspring
➢ Distinguish between characteristics that are heritable and those that
are not; identify characteristics for which heredity and environment
both play a role
➢ Identify examples of dominant and recessive characteristics
On the top of your notes, write down the
numbers you see below
 Genetics
The variations we see are the result of gene expression. Genes
are the sections of chromosomes, or strands of DNA, that code
for different traits...

Eye colour, hair colour,

and color blindness are
all the result of different
genes. Because genes
are passed down from
parents to offspring, we
call these variations
heritable traits.
Biggest Myth: Tongue Rolling
● It is commonly thought
that the ability to roll
your tongue is genetics
○ But studies have
shown that non-
tongue rollers can
train themselves to roll
their tongues!
 Heritable Variations
1) DISCRETE VARIATIONS
● Variations that have a limited amount
of possibilities (“either/or” variations)
● E.g. ear lobes are either attached or
unattached
● Often the result of a single gene

2) CONTINUOUS VARIATIONS
● Variations that have a range of
possibilities (along a spectrum)
● E.g. height
● Often the result of multiple genes
interacting with environmental factors
 Which characteristics are discrete?
Which are continuous?
u s
u o u s
t in u o
n ti n
te Co o n
s c re C
Di
Hairline
Blood Type
u s s
u o o u
Hitchhiker's Thumb

ti n n u
o n n t i
C Co Skin Colour
Foot Size
 Gene Expression
Humans have 46 chromosomes (or 23 pairs):

You inherit one copy

of each chromosome
from each of your
parents, meaning that
50% of your DNA
comes from your
mom, and 50% comes
from your dad.
Most genes tend to have two possible forms, or alleles. One
allele is dominant, while the other is recessive.

➢ E.g. the gene that encodes eye

colour has two alleles: one that
results in a blue pigment
(recessive), and one that results in
a brown pigment (dominant)
 Because the dominant allele “overrides” the recessive one, you require
two recessive alleles to express a recessive trait. If you have one recessive
allele and one dominant allele, you will always express the dominant trait.

Consider our eye-colour example. “E” represents the dominant allele,

which encodes brown eyes, and “e” represents the recessive allele, which
encodes blue eyes…

GENOTYPE PHENOTYPE
(which alleles you have) (which trait you express)

EE Brown eyes
Homozygous dominant

Ee Brown eyes
Heterozygous

ee Blue eyes
Homozygous recessive
 Inheritance & Probability
If we know the genotypes of both parents, the probability of offspring
displaying a particular variation or phenotype can be determined through the
use of a Punnett Square:

➢ A capital letter is used to represent the dominant allele (e.g. brown eyes = B)
➢ A lowercase letter is used to represent the recessive allele (e.g. blue eyes = b)
 Example #1
In cattle, the allele that results in a black coat (B) is dominant
to the allele that results in a red coat (b).

a) List the possible genotypes of a cow with a black coat.

a) List the possible genotypes of a cow with a red coat.

a) A cow that is heterozygous for the coat colour allele (Bb) mates with a
cow that is recessive for the coat colour allele (bb). What is the
probability that they will produce offspring with a black coat?
 Example #2
In humans, blue eyes are caused by a recessive allele (b), while
brown eyes are caused by a dominant allele (B). John has blue
eyes, and Amelia has brown eyes…

a) List the possible genotypes for John and Amelia.

a) What is the phenotype of an individual with the genotype “Bb”?

a) Assume that Amelia is homozygous dominant (BB). Create a punnett

square to represent the cross between John and Amelia.

a) If John and Amelia decide to have children, what is the probability

that their first child will have blue eyes?
 Example #3
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive disorder that affects the lungs.
Jason does not have cystic fibrosis, but he is a carrier of the
recessive allele. He is considering having children with his wife,
Amanda, who does not have the recessive allele.

a) List the possible genotypes for Jason and Amanda, using “F” to
represent the dominant allele, and “f” to represent the recessive allele.

a) What is the genotype of someone who is affected by cystic fibrosis?

a) Create a punnett square to represent the cross between Jason and

Amanda

a) If Jason and Amanda decide to have children, what proportion of

their children will have cystic fibrosis?
 Some misconceptions about inheritance:

“Traits that are recessive are rare”

➢ Just because a trait is dominant does not mean it is more common;
different variations are more common in different populations
across the globe depending on the frequency of those alleles.
➢ For example, blue eyes tend to be more common in European
countries despite being a recessive trait, while brown eyes are more
common in Asia.

“Heritable disorders are usually recessive”

➢ Many common disorders are dominant; Huntington’s disease,
Marfan’s syndrome, and certain types of heritable cancer are all
caused by a dominant allele
 “Nature vs Nurture”
➢ Some traits, such as eye colour, are determined
solely by genetics (nature)
➢ Other traits, such as scars, are determined solely
by environment (nurture)

Most heritable traits, however, are influenced by

BOTH genetics and environmental factors. Height,
for example, is determined by your genes (nature)
and nutrition/lifestyle (nurture).

The study of how environmental factors

influence gene expression is called epigenetics.
If heritable variations are the result of
genes passed down from parents to
offspring, what determines which
characteristics we actually display???

Does a blending of traits occur? Or do you

display one variation or the other?
 Mutations: Changing our DNA
The genetic information encoded by our DNA can be
altered by both environmental factors and random errors;
this is known as mutation.
➢ Mutations can cause noticeable changes in the structures of
organisms, or they can have no significant impact at all
➢ Mutagens such as x-rays, ultraviolet light, and some chemical
substances can lead to the mutation of DNA

Over-exposure to UV
rays from the sun or
tanning beds can alter
the DNA in skin cells,
causing cells to divide
uncontrollably (skin
cancer!)
TOPIC 5: DNA & CHROMOSOMES
I Can…
➢ Describe the role and relationship of chromosomes,
genes and DNA
➢ Distinguish between mitosis and meiosis
➢ Provide examples of genetic technologies and identify
questions & issues related to their application
Introduction
 DNA
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule
passed on from parents to offspring which
controls a cell’s function; it is the heritable
material where genes are stored.
➢ DNA is tightly coiled
into structures called
chromosomes, which
are found in pairs in the
nucleus of every cell in
your body
➢ Each human somatic
cell (cells other than
eggs & sperm) contains
23 pairs of chromosomes
➢ DNA is shaped like a coiled
ladder, known as a double
helix
➢ The sides of the ladder are
composed of alternating
sugar and phosphate
molecules
➢ The rungs of the ladder
consist of four nitrogen
bases: adenine (A),
thymine (T), guanine (G),
and cytosine (C)
➢ A always bonds with T, and
G always bonds with C
➢ The arrangement of these
bases forms the cell’s
“blueprint”, coding for
different proteins
 Genes
A section of a DNA molecule that codes a specific
protein is called a gene. Proteins control how a cell
is formed and how it functions...
 Cell Division:
Mitosis
● Cells that make up the human
body are known as somatic cells.
● As the body grows, somatic cells
make exact copies of themselves
and divide through the process of
mitosis.
● This involves the replication and
division of DNA to produce two
daughter cells with the exact same
DNA as the original parent cell
● This is why every somatic cell in
your body contains the same DNA
Mitosis serves three
main functions:
1) Growth
2) Maintenance
3) Repair
Overview of Mitosis:
 Cell Division:
Meiosis
● Organisms who reproduce sexually also
contain sex cells, or sperm and eggs (known
as gametes).
● Gametes are formed through the process of
meiosis.
● Meiosis involves the replication and
division of DNA to produce daughter cells
with half the DNA of the original parent
cells.
● Thus, meiosis involves two cell divisions,
while mitosis involves just one.
● “Crossing over” of genetic information also
occurs between chromosomes during
meiosis. This is why none of your gametes
have the exact same arrangement of DNA,
and why organisms who reproduce sexually
are so diverse.
While the purpose of mitosis is to produce cells with
the exact same DNA as parent cells, the purpose of
meiosis is to produce cells with the HALF the number
of chromosomes they started out with (in humans,
meiosis produces gametes with 23 chromosomes)...

➢ When the sperm and egg meet

during fertilization, they form a
zygote
➢ The zygote thus has a full
complement of 46 chromosomes
➢ Once formed, the zygote
undergoes mitosis to become an
embryo, a fetus, and eventually, a
full-grown human
Overview of Meiosis:
 Genetic Engineering
An understanding of DNA and gene expression has
allowed scientists to develop solutions to a number of
issues in the fields of medicine and agriculture.

By turning genes on or off, or

even transferring genes from
one species to another, we can
produce desirable traits in a
target organism. This is known
as genetic engineering.
 Genetically Modified Crops
What might be some desirable traits that we
would want to see in our crops?
GMO’s: The Golden Rice Project
In areas of Southeast Asia and Africa where people rely
largely on rice as the basis of their diet, vitamin A deficiency
has led to afflictions such blindness, reduced immune
response, and impaired skeletal growth in children.

➢ Golden Rice is a form of rice that has

been genetically modified to produce
beta-carotene (the precursor for
vitamin A) and a number of other
essential nutrients that unaltered rice
does not normally contain.
➢ Since the introduction of Golden Rice,
the incidence of these ailments has
fallen significantly.
GMO’s: Are They Dangerous?
Anti-GMO propaganda is often based on some
pretty significant misconceptions about what
genetic modification actually is...
 "What scares me most about the loud arguments and
misinformation about plant genetics, is that the poorest
people who most need the technology may be denied access
because of the vague fears and prejudices of those who have
enough to eat"
In case that’s still unclear...
Genetic Engineering in Medicine
A few medical applications of biotechnology…

➢ Insulin production
○ human insulin gene is inserted
into bacteria, which produce it in
large quantities for use by
individuals with diabetes
➢ Cancer treatment
○ stem cells are used to “re-
program” cancerous cells
➢ Embryo analysis
○ embryos are tested for various
genetic diseases before implanting
into a mother
“Designer Babies”???
 TOPIC 6: NATURAL AND
ARTIFICIAL SELECTION
I Can…
➢ Distinguish between and give examples of natural and
artificial selection
 Natural Selection
At the beginning of this unit, we discussed how diversity aids in
species survival through the process of natural selection. To
review…
➢ Natural selection simply means that organisms with variations that
help them survive in a particular environment will be more likely to
reproduce, passing those variations on to offspring. Organisms
without those variations will not be able to survive and reproduce.
➢ This is where the term “survival of the fittest” comes from. However,
it is important to note that it is not always the strongest, fastest,
“fittest” organisms that survive; it is those with variations best suited
to their environment at a specific period in time.
➢ Over time, the variations that are “selected for” become more
common in a population, causing that population to change. This can
lead to evolution, or the formation of a new species.
 Natural Selection
The Theory of Evolution via Natural Selection was
first suggested by Charles Darwin in 1859, and can
be summed up in four general statements:
1) All organisms produce more offspring than can
possibly survive

2) There is incredible variation within each species

3) Some of these variations increase the chances of

an organism surviving to reproduce

4) Over time, variations that are passed on lead to

changes in the genetic characteristics of a species
 Natural Selection & Evolution
Natural selection is just one method by which evolution, or the
formation of new species, is thought to occur.

➢ Evolution is supported by many different

lines of evidence, including embryology.
➢ By looking at the embryonic development of
different species, we can see that some
species share a great deal of similarities, and
therefore must be closely related.
➢ For example, the presence of gills & a tail in
the embryos of mammals supports the idea
that mammals descended from fish.
 … But how could a fish have evolved
limbs??? Or lungs???

➢ It can be difficult to imagine how one

species could change into something
completely different over time, but
even the smallest changes in DNA
(mutations!) can have significant
consequences for physical traits as well
as behaviour
➢ E.g. The silver fox experiments in
Russia (follow link below for video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dwjS_eI-lQ
Another example: Could dinosaurs really have
evolved into what we refer to today as birds?
 Fossil evidence of small, feathered dinosaurs and
transitional species indicate that modern-day birds did, in
fact, evolve from this one species of raptor-like dinosaur:

Notice any similar features?

 But wait…
If the “fittest” organisms in each species have a
greater probability of surviving, how do we end up
with animals like this?

What kind of environment would possibly favour these

characteristics???
 Artificial Selection
Through selective breeding, we can actually produce offspring with
desired traits that would not necessarily have an advantage in nature.
This process is referred to as artificial selection, and has many uses
other than producing super-cute animals...

Selective breeding has given us Through selective breeding, we

dairy cows (cows that produce can produce strains of wheat
large amounts of milk) that grow better in cold weather

Artificial selection produces changes faster than natural selection

because we essentially force the mating of two individuals that may
not necessarily mate in nature
 Artificial Selection
Artificial selection is not always beneficial...

➢ Before the effects of inbreeding were understood, it was common

practice for cousins to marry, especially in royal families (wanted to
“preserve the bloodline”)
➢ This lead to a high incidence of haemophilia, a fatal blood condition,
in Britain’s royal family during the mid 1800’s

(Pictured above: Queen Victoria and her husband/cousin, Prince Albert. One son and two of their five
daughters carried the gene for haemophilia)
 TOPIC 7: THE SIXTH
EXTINCTION
I Can…
➢ Describe the relative abundance of species on earth and
in different environments
➢ Describe ongoing changes in biological diversity through
extinction and extirpation of native species, and
investigate the role of environmental factors in causing
these changes
Species that are “extinct” no longer exist...
 Extinction Events
Throughout the history of our planet, there have been five
major extinctions:

1) Ordovician-Silurian Extinction

2) Late Devonian Extinction

3) Permian-Triassic Extinction

4) Triassic-Jurassic Extinction
5) Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction
 We are currently in the middle of a sixth
major extinction event...

6) Holocene Extinction
● Since the early 1900’s, extinctions have occurred at over 100 times the
background extinction rate. This is largely the result of human activity.
● The Holocene Extinction is on track to be the largest in our planet’s history

The dodo bird Doedicurus, a The black The golden toad

became extinct relative of the rhino became became extinct in 1989
during the mid armadillo, extinct in
17th century became extinct 2011
in the mid 1800’s
 The Sixth Extinction
Many of our current species are extirpated (extinct in a particular region), endangered (at
risk of becoming extinct) or threatened (at risk of becoming endangered)...

AMUR LEOPARD ASIAN ELEPHANT MALAYAN TIGER

Approximately 60 Approximately 30,000 Approximately 250

individuals remain in the wild individuals remain in the wild individuals remain in the wild

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory
 Human Impact
By destroying habitats, impacting the earth’s climate,
hunting, and diminishing natural resources, humans have
wiped out many of the species that were here before us.
The current rate of extinction is nearly 70 species per day!

R.I.P.
 Indicator Species
Certain species can be used to track the “health” of our
planet: Large carnivores, such as grizzly bears and wolves,
tend to be the first to start disappearing when the
environment changes.

The range and abundance of large carnivores in North America has shrunk
considerably, indicating high levels of ecosystem loss.
 TOPIC 8: PAINS AND GAINS

I Can…
➢ Evaluate the success and limitations of various local and
global strategies for minimizing loss of species diversity
➢ Investigate and describe the use of biotechnology in
environmental, agricultural or forest management, and
identify potential impacts and issues
 Preserving Biodiversity
What can we do to preserve the biodiversity of our planet?

➢ Zoos
○ More than just a place to display plants
and animals; zoos are part of a
worldwide network that is attempting to
protect, preserve, and increase
awareness of endangered animals
○ By exchanging animals between zoos,
the network hopes to maintain the
genetic diversity of species (breeding
programs)
○ Zoos also initiate and support research
on different species
○ Drawback: animals in captivity
 Preserving Biodiversity
➢ Seed Banks
○ Established to gather and store
seeds from plants that are
threatened with extinction
○ Agricultural and research purposes
○ Seeds are stored at below freezing;
samples are estimated to last a
couple of centuries
○ Royal Botanic Gardens in London,
England, has one of the largest
collections of seeds in the world
 A Global Effort
The preservation of biological diversity depends on both
local efforts and global co-operation. Global treaties have
been drawn up to protect endangered plants and animals.
Protected areas have been established worldwide for
biodiversity conservation, often providing habitat and
protection from hunting for threatened and endangered
species

The Marieta Islands reserve

Protected hot springs in Hunting threatened off the coast of Puerto
Banff are the only species is a criminal Vallarta protect a number of
remaining habitat of the offense at-risk species and their
Banff Springs Snail unique habitat