CHAPTER 3

BIODIVERSITY
Species Extinction and Protection
 01
SPECIES EXTINCTION
Natural and Anthropogenic Factors
 Biodiversity
• variety and variability of life on Earth.

• typically a measure of variation at the

genetic, species, and ecosystem level

An ecosystem is a community of living

organisms in conjunction with the nonliving
components of their environment, interacting as
a system.
Philippine Biodiversity
The Phillipines is considered as one of the world’s
biodiversity hotspots.

A hotspot is a significant reservoir which is

threatened by destruction.

Only about 7% of the original forest remain.

Many of plants and animals are classified as

endangered or critically endangered.

Fourth highest in terms of threatened species in South

and Southeast Asia
Philippine Biodiversity
Some critically endangered Species

Visayan Warty Negros Fruit Dove Sulu Bleeding Heart

Pig
SPECIES EXTINCTION
● Species becomes extinct when the last existing individual of that species dies.
● No organism could reproduce a new generation of offspring

Extant
● Species that are not extinct Functionally Extinct
● Preserved and maintained
Local Extinction or Extirpation
only in zoos and other
● Extinct in a particular area but continues to exists elsewhere
artificial habitats
● No longer part of the
Threatened or Endangered
natural habitat
● Extant species that are threatened by extinction or near
extinction
Rate of Species Extinction

● Species extinction is a NATURAL process.

● about 2-4% survives

Present
● Rapid loss
● ~ 1000 to 10000 times higher than expected natural rate.
● 137 species / day
● 50 000 species /year
WHAT ARE THE
CAUSES OF
EXTINCTION?
NATURAL CAUSES
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate
● characteristic atmospheric conditions of a
given place
Climate Change
● Change in weather patterns that lasts over a period of time
● Plays a fundamental role in shaping natural ecosystem
● Affects the synchronize pattern in the ecosystem (e.g. pollination, migration
of species etc.)
● Fate of the species depends on their ability to adapt to the new environment
or to migrate to a new environment suited for their needs.
NATURAL CAUSES
ASTEROIDS AND COSMIC RADIATION

Theory 1 : Asteroid Impact

● some asteroids that hit the earth killed many organism upon
impact

Theory 2: Exposure to Radiation

● Exposure to radiation caused species to mutate
● Mutation resulted to weakening of the gene pool
NATURAL CAUSES
ACID RAIN
• Acid rain results when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NO X) are emitted into the
atmosphere.
• SO2 and NOX react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids.

Natural: Man made:

• Volcanoes • Power Plants
• Lightning strikes • Factories
• Decaying vegetation • Transport facilities

• Acidifies bodies of water and thus harming aquatic organisms.

• Damages plants that are sensitive to changes in the acidity of soil
NATURAL CAUSES
DISEASES AND EPIDEMICS

Due to continuing changes in

climate conditions, many species of
plants and animals are losing their
ability to adapt and fight off
diseases and epidemics.
 ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES
HABITAT DESTRUCTION
• Extensively alters the natural landscape
• Vital resources and food are depleted
• Habitat fragmentation: breaking larger habitats to smaller pieces or fragments

Activities:
• agricultural activities
• logging
• mining
• grazing
• development of infrastructure
• illegal fishing practices
 ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES
POLLUTION
• Introduction of potentially harmful substances or suspended particles in the environment
• Harms the organism and the stability of ecosystem
• Pollutants- substances that causes pollution
• Chemical pollutants interfere with
metabolic functions and causes
functional impairment and eventually
death of organisms.
• Results into reduction of species
within a given food chain
 ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES
OVEREXPLOITATION
Causes the supply of food and other resources to be exhausted

Overfishing
• Affects fishing community
• Threatens certain fish species
• Imbalance in the marine ecosystem

Poaching
• Illegal killing or removal of wildlife for trade
Overgrazing
• Excessive grazing which causes damage to grassland.
 ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES
INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES
• Invasive alien species into an
ecosystem can threaten biodiversity
and be a key factor in species
extinction.
• Introduced species can be predators
of certain native species.
• Additional consumer to the existing
food chain
 02
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
Possible Solutions
 THE NEED TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY
Organisms have the following roles in the ecosystem:

Nutrient and Water Cycling Provide Aesthetic and Economic Benefits

Soil Formation and Retention Climate Regulation Plant Pollination

Pollution Control Potential cure for diseases

Pest control
 Habitat Protection is the KEY to
protecting and saving our threatened and
endangered species.

It is more practical and effective to protect a habitat than to

try to restore it after it has been destroyed.
WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?

Identify threatened species and its habitat

Plan for Protection and Management

Captive Breeding (facilitating the mating of threatened

species in zoos and reserves)

Pass laws and treaties (e.g. RA no. 9147 Wildlife Resources

Conservation and Protection Act)

Preserve and Protect the whole Ecosystem

 THANKS!!

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