Lecture 3: Biodiversity and Evolution

PE014IU Environmental Science

 Contents

• Section 4-1: What is biodiversity and why is it

important?
• Section 4-2: How does the earth’s life change
over time?
• Section 4-3: How do geological processes and
climate change affect evolution?
• Section 4-4: How do speciation, extinction, and
human activities affect biodiversity?
• Section 4-5: What roles do species play in
ecosystems?
What Is Biodiversity and
Why Is It Important?
Section 4-1
Why Is Biodiversity Important?

Human
Sustainability
Life depends activities can Solutions can
begins at
on natural degrade be found and
personal and
capital natural implemented
local levels
capital

Source: Kim Preshoff - https://youtu.be/GK_vRtHJZu4

Why Is Biodiversity Important?

Landis 2016
Cleland 2011
 What Is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth

at its all levels, from genes to
ecosystems, and encompass ecosystem
functions.
 Functional Diversity The biological and Ecological Diversity
chemical processes such as energy flow The variety of terrestrial
and matter recycling needed for the survival and aquatic ecosystems
of species, communities, and ecosystems. found
in an area or on the
earth.
Solar
Chemical
nutrients
energy
Heat (carbon dioxide,
oxygen,
nitrogen,
minerals)

Heat Heat

Decomposers Producers
(bacteria, fungi) (plants)

Consumers
(plant eaters,
Heat meat eaters) Heat

Genetic Diversity The variety Species Diversity The number

of genetic material within a and abundance of species
species or a population. present in different communities. Fig. 4-2, p. 63
 Species Diversity

• Species is a set of individuals that can

mate and produce viable offspring

• Estimated 8-100million species

• Most undescribed are in rainforests and

deep oceans

Source : California Academy of Sciences - youtu.be/LHPuo0rwM1w

 Genetic Diversity

• The variety of genes found in a population

or in a species

• Genetic diversity allows population/species

Source: Berkeley University

to adapt to environmental changes
 Ecosystem Diversity
Variety of ecosystems on Earth
Ecosystem along Parallel in the US
 Functional Diversity

Variety of processes that occur when

species interact with each other in a food
chain/web

Landis 2016
 Functional Diversity
Community 1 Community 2

Barnacle

Seastar Mussel

Barnacle Mussel

Anemone
Barnacle Seagrass

• Barnacles: filter feeder • Mussel: filter feeder

• Mussel: filter feeder • Anemone: sessile predator
• Seastar: mobile predator
• Seagrass: photosynthesize
 How Does the Earth’s
Life Change over Time?
Section 4-2
 Origin of Biodiversity

• Estimated 8-100million species

• Only ~15% of species alive are described

(National Geographic)

• ~50000 species in one hectare of

rainforest in Chile
Simple Complex
Uniform Diverse
 Evolution
• Evolution: the process in which the Earth’s life
changes over time by changing the genes of
populations/organisms
• Evolution happens because of natural selection

Source: Disclose.tv
 Evolution
• Evolution: the process in which the Earth’s life
changes over time by changing the genes of
populations/organisms
• Evolution happens because of natural selection
 Evolution by Natural Selection
A group of bacteria, Eventually the
including genetically resistant strain
resistant ones, are The genetically replaces the strain
exposed to an Most of the normal resistant bacteria affected by
antibiotic. bacteria die. start multiplying. the antibiotic.

Normal Resistant
bacterium bacterium with
adaptive trait Stepped Art
Fig. 4-5, p.67
 Evolution by Natural Selection

• Evolution acts upon populations, not

individuals
• Traits that appear in one or some
individuals allow them to better mate and
produce offspring
• The traits spread throughout the
population and help it adapt to
environmental changes
 Natural Selection Limits

1. Natural selection can only lead to

adaptation if adaptive traits already exist
in the population

2. Evolution is limited by a species’

reproductive capacity
 Evolution Misconception

1. Survival of the fittest = survival of the

strongest

2. Organisms develop adaptive traits because

they need them

3. Natural selection is according to natural grand

plan to become more perfectly adapted
 How Do Geological
Processes and Climate
Change Affect Evolution?
Section 4-3
Major Geological Process

Source: Cary Graham - youtu.be/zbtAXW-2nz0

Movement of Earth’s Tectonic
Plates
 Geologic Processes Effect

• Tectonic plates shift slowly on the

planet’s mantle, changing the
earth’s surface
–Affects climate
• Volcanoes, rainfalls…
–Affects species distribution
• Earthquakes, islands…
 Geological Processes and
Natural Selection

• Changes in climate → differences

in species survival and flourishing

• Some may not be able to survive

–No adaptive traits
–Catastrophes
Climate Change and Catastrophes
Affect Natural Selection
• Long-term climate changes determine where
different types of plants and animals can survive,
and caused the extinction of some species.
– Extended cooling and warming periods
• Catastrophic events, such as collisions with
large asteroids, have caused:
– Destruction of ecosystems and extinction of large
numbers of species.
– Shifts in the locations of ecosystems and created
opportunities for the evolution of new species.
• Reading: Case study pg. 73-74
 How Do Speciation,
Extinction, and Human
Activities Affect
Biodiversity?
Section 4-4
 Speciation
Speciation (n): The formation of new and distinct species in
the course of evolution. Speciation involves the splitting of a Adapted to cold through
single evolutionary lineage into two or more genetically heavier fur, short ears,
independent lineages (Encyclopedia Britannica) short legs, and short
nose. White fur matches
snow for camouflage.

For sexually Arctic Fox

reproductive Northern
population
organisms only

Spreads Different environmental

Early fox northward and conditions lead to different
population southward and selective pressures and
separates
evolution into two different
species.
Gray Fox
Southern
population

Adapted to heat through

lightweight fur and long
ears, legs, and nose,
which give off more heat.
Fig. 4-9, p. 70
 Speciation

• Geographic isolation occurs when different

groups of the same population of a species
become physically isolated from one another
for a long period of time.
• Reproductive isolation occurs when mutation
and change by natural selection operate in the
gene pools of geographically isolated
populations.
 Extinction
• Extinction, in biology, the dying out or termination of a
species (Encyclopedia Britannica).

• Extinction occurs when species are diminished because

of environmental forces or because of evolutionary
changes in their members (Encyclopedia Britannica).

• Most vulnerable to extinction are endemic species.

• Local extinction occurs when a population of a species

becomes extinct over a large region, but not globally.
 Extinction

Perhaps 99% of all species that ever existed on Earth are now extinct (Univ. of California at
Berkeley).

Some Species Made Extinct by Humans

 Mass Extinction
Mass extinction is a significant rise in extinction rates above the
background level, in which large groups of species are wiped out.

Source: Univ. of California at Berkeley

Mass Extinction

Source: the Guardian - bit.ly/3fpM0el

What Roles Do Species
Play in Ecosystems?
Section 4-5
 Niche
• Ecological niches have specific characteristics, such
as availability of nutrients, temperature, terrain,
sunlight and predators, which dictate how, and how
well, a species survives and reproduces (Biology Dictionary).
• “The ecological niche of an organism depends not
only on where it lives but also on what it does. By
analogy, it may be said that the habitat is the
organism’s “address”, and the niche is its
“profession” biologically speaking.”
- Eugene P. Odum describes in The Fundamentals of Ecology (1959)
Niche
 Niche
• Generalist species have broad niches.
– They can live in many different places.
– They can eat a variety of foods and tolerate a wide range of
environments.
– (Species of) flies, cockroaches, rats and humans are generalists.

• Specialist species have narrow niches.

– They live only in very specific environments.
– They eat only specific foods
– This makes them more prone to extinction when environmental
conditions change.
– If the environment is constant, specialists have fewer
competitors.
 Native vs. Non-Native Species

• Native species are those that normally live

and thrive in a particular ecosystem.

• Nonnative species, also called invasive,

alien, and exotic, are those that migrate
into an ecosystem.

• Invasive species may or may not be

caused by human activities.
 Indicator vs. Keystone Species
• A species that is particularly sensitive to environmental
conditions and therefore can give early warning signals
about ecosystem health.
– A decline in indicator species’ health can signal air and water
pollution, soil contamination, climate change or habitat
fragmentation.
• Keystone species are species whose roles have a large
effect on the types and abundance of other species in an
ecosystem
– They may exist in relatively limited numbers in their ecosystems.
– Their removal initiates changes in ecosystem structure and often
loss of diversity (National Wildlife Foundation).
 Three Big Ideas
• Populations evolve when genes mutate and give
some individuals genetic traits that enhance
their abilities to survive and to produce offspring
with these traits (natural selection).
• Human activities are degrading the earth’s vital
biodiversity by causing the extinction of species
and by disrupting habitats needed for the
development of new species.
• Each species plays a specific ecological role in
the ecosystem where it is found.
Summary
 Homework

• Read the article at

bit.ly/ESHomework3

• Look for more examples of

native animals and ecological
niches