Biodiversity and Healthy Society

What is Biodiversity???
 Biological diversity
 Simply means the
diversity, or variety, of
plants and animals and
other living things in a
particular area or region
 Also means the number, or
abundance of different
species living within a
particular region
 Why is Biodiversity Important?
 Everything that lives in an ecosystem is part of the web
of life, including humans
 Each species of vegetation and each creature has a place
on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life
 Plant, animal, and insect species interact and depend
upon one another for what each offers, such as food,
shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment
 "It is reckless to suppose that biodiversity can be
diminished indefinitely without threatening humanity
itself." -Edward O. Wilson (Father of Biodiversity)
 Early Classification
 To study the diversity of life, biologists use a classification system to
name organisms and group them in a logical manner.
 The field of Biology that deals with classifying organisms is called
Taxonomy.
 Carolus Linnaeus is the father of Modern Taxonomy (1700’s)

•Linnaeus is considered the

founder of the binomial system of
nomenclature and the originator
of modern scientific classification
of plants and animals
 Linneaus’ Findings:
 Millionsof animals and plants
 How did we keep them in order?
 Binomial Nomenclature
 Hierarchy
System Of Classification

Hierarchy
Ranking System

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

 Binomial Nomenclature
 Identifying organisms by their genus and species’ names
 2 words
 First letter of FIRST word is capital, First letter of
SECOND word is lowercase.
 The word needs to be in italic or underlined
 Latin Form of the word.
 Ex: Homo sapiens, Acer rubrum, Canus lupus
 Humans, Red Maple, Wolf
 1. Eubacteria- (Bacteria)
 2. Archaebacteria-
(Bacteria)
 2. Protists- (Amoeba)
 3. Fungi- (Mushrooms)
 4. Plants- (Trees)
 5. Animal- (Mammals)
Eubacteria
 Single Celled, Prokaryotic, Autotrophic
and Hetrotrophic
 Most bacteria are in the EUBACTERIA
kingdom.
 Cell walls with peptidoglycan.
 Some produce vitamins and foods like
yogurt.
 Ex: Streptococcus, Escherichia coli

 Bacteria…ecological diverse
 Free living soil organisms to deadly
parasites
 Some need oxygen some do not need
oxygen.
Archaebacteria
 Single Celled
 Prokaryotic
 Autotrophic and Heterotrophic
 Cell walls do NOT contain
peptidogllycan
 Ex: Methanogens, halophiles

 These bacteria live in volcanic hot

springs, brine pools, and black organic
mud.
 Most survive in the absence of oxygen
 Protists
 Mostly unicellular
 Eukaryotic
 Autotrophic/Heterotrophic
 Members have great variety
 Ex: Amoeba (bottom) and
Paramecium (top)
 You need to be familiar with
BOTH of these little
guys…they will be on your
quiz/test.
 Fungi
 Mostly multicellular but some unicellular.
 Has a cell wall but does NOT make its own food.
 Heterotrophic
 Change dead organic matter into usable nutrients… Decomposers
 Ex: Bread mold, mildew, yeast, and mushrooms.
Plant Kingdom

 Green- contain
chlorophyll
 Make food by
photosynthesis
 Ex: Algae. Moss,
Vascular Plants, Trees,
Flower, Etc
 Animal Kingdom
 Multi-Cellular
 Cannot make their own
food
 Most animals move
(sponge is sessile)
 Vertebrates: (Backbone)
Ex: Fish, Frogs, Birds,
Snakes, and US!!
 Invertebrates: (No
backbone) Ex: Sponges,
Jellyfish, Earthworm
 A Mysterious Particle-Virus
 Not sure which
classification to
put viruses
under
 No cell parts
 Chromosome-
like structures
 Do not grow as
living things
 Virus
1
.
A virus is an infectious particle that reproduces within
the cells of an infected host.
2
.
A virus is not alive until it enters the cells of a living
3
. plant or animal
.A virus contains genetic information wrapped in a
4
. protein coat.
Viruses can be useful as well as harmful.
5
.
A virus that mutates ensures its own survival by
6
. making itself unrecognizable to immune systems and
vaccines.
Even viruses engineered for useful purposes can be
harmful if unchecked
Biomes
 Biomes
 Large areas
(ecosystems) with the
same type of climax
community
 Biomes located on land
are called terrestrial
 Those located in oceans,
lakes, streams, or ponds
are called aquatic
 Biomes
Terrestrial biomes
include:
 Tundra
 Taiga
 Desert
 Grassland
 Deciduous Forest
 Tropical Rain Forest
 Biomes
Aquatic Biomes
include:
 Marine
 Estuary
 Freshwater
Tundra
 Tundra
 Treeless land.
 Short soggy summers;
long, cold, dark winters
 Strong winds
 Temperature never rises
above freezing for long.
Tundra
 Permafrost- Permanently
frozen subsoil
 Only topmost layer of soil
thaws during the summer
 Poorly developed soil
 Grasses, shallow-rooted
plants
Tundra Animals

Tundra Plants
Tundra
Tundra
Tundra
Tundra
 Tundra
 Bearberry is a common
plant that can be found in
the Tundra.
 This is in the warm
season.
 Threats to the Tundra
One of the
most
fragile
biomes on
Tufted Saxifrage the planet
Polar Bear
Oil drilling is
proposed The tundra is
in Alaska slow to recover
and other from damage.
areas!
Taiga
Taiga
 Taiga

 Circles the North Pole

 Land of mixed pine, fir,
hemlock, and spruce trees
 Warmer and wetter than
Tundra
 Bears, elk, deer, beavers,
owls, bobcats (hibernate and
burrow)
 Taiga
 Abundant
precipitation during
fall, winter and spring
 Relatively cool dry
summer
 Rocky
 Acidic soils
Taiga Animals
Threats to the Taiga
Mining operations can
irreparably damage
this fragile
ecosystem.
Pollution left behind
can also put animals
and plants at risk.
 Desert
 Arid region with sparse
plant life
 Occupy about 1/5 of the
Earth’s surface.
 <10 in/yr of rain
 Little to no topsoil due
to high winds.
 Minerals not deep in
soil.
 Too dry for decay
 Cold and hot deserts
exist
 Desert

 Deserts may be found throughout the world…Sahara of

North Africa, southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Australia as
well as in the basin and range area of Utah and Nevada
and in parts of western Asia.
 Desert Animals and Plants
Desert Animal Adaptations:
Get water from food
Thick outer coat
Burrow during day
Large ears

Desert Plant Adaptations:

Spines
Succulents
Thick, waxy cuticle
Shallow, broad roots
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

Threats to the Desert

Residential development
Off road recreational
activities destroy habitat
for plants and animals.
Some plants are removed by
collectors, endangering the
population. Dry Desert

Sonoran Desert
Temperate Grasslands
Temperate
Grasslands
 Temperate
Grasslands
 Between 25 and 75 cm of
precipitation annually
 Large communities
covered with grasses and
similar small plants
 Occupies more area than
any other biome
 Temperate Grasslands
 Warm to hot summers’ and cold winters
 Moderate seasonal precipitation
 Fertile soils
 Dominant plants: perennial grasses and herbs
and sunflowers, oats, rye, wheat
 Dominant wildlife: coyotes badgers, deer, and
rabbits
Temperate Grasslands
Savanna (Tropical Grassland)
 Savanna (Tropical Grassland)

 Grassland with scattered

trees.
 Frequent fires, large
mammals.
 Many small animals are
dormant during dry
period.
 Contain greatest number
of grazing animals on
earth
 Savanna (Tropical Grassland)
Animal Adaptations Plant Adaptations
 Adapt for short rainy  Grows in Tufts
season—migrate as  Resistance to Drought
necessary
 Many plants have thorns
 Reproduce during rainy and sharp leaves to
season—ensures more protect against
young survive predation.
 Threats to Savanna
 Invasive species
 Changes in fire management

Elephant
 Because of their low elevation,
some savannas are threatened
by minor rises in sea level
associated with global climate
change
Koala http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna_animal_page.htm
Tropical Rainforest
Tropical Rain Forest
Tropical Rain
Forests
 Most biologically diverse
 Found near the equator
 Warm, wet weather
dominated by lush plant
growth
 Receives at least 200 cm
of precipitation annually
 Dense, tangled vegetation
 Tropical Rain Forest
 Competition for light.
 Soil is usually poor due
to rapid nutrient
recycling.
 Animals are often tree
dwellers.
 Ex. Sloths, Monkeys,
Bamboo
 AQUATIC BIOMES
 75% of Earth is covered in water.
 Divided into two categories freshwater and
marine
 Marine Biomes: The water is salt water.
Oceans, sea, and some inland lakes contain
salt water.
 Freshwater is confined to rivers, streams,
ponds and most lakes.
 Marine
 Oceans contain the largest
amount of biomass, or
living material, of any
biome on earth.
 Many living organisms are
small, they cannot even be
seen.
 Ecologist study marine
biomes by separating them
into different zones.
Freshwater
 Ponds, lake, rivers, etc are
also full of life but more
so around the shoreline
and in shallow areas.
 Water temperature and
sunlight penetration are
factors that limits life in
freshwater biomes.
 Freshwater
 In the shallow waters you
will find plants such as
cattails and sedges.
 These plants serve as food
and homes for tadpoles,
aquatic insects, worms,
crayfish, dragonflies
 Minnows, bluegill, and
carp also live here.
 Estuary
 An estuary is a coastal
body of water, partially
surrounded by land, in
which freshwater and
saltwater mix.
 It may extend many miles
inland.
 Estuary

 Wide range of organisms live here.