Biodiversity

• There was a growing awareness

of how living things are related
to each other, an idea called
biodiversity.
• Biodiversity is the variety of life
forms on earth which includes
microorganisms, plants and
animals and the intricate
ecosystem they form.
• The term was coined by Walter
G. Rosen of the National
Research Council in 1985, the
word biodiversity first appeared
in a publication in 1988 when
American entomologist Edward
Osborne Wilson accounted for
this forum.
• According to him, biodiversity is
defined as richness in variety and
variability of species of all living
organisms in a given habitat.
Scientist who developed classification:
1. Aristotle
He classified organisms based on two
major groups:
(a) Plants: herbs, shrubs and trees
(b) Animals: according to where they
lived (aquatic, terrestrial or aerial).
a
im
An
ls
Plants
Scientist who developed classification:
2. Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)

A Swedish physician and botanist who

invented the binomial nomenclature (a
system to identify species which is still
used today).
He classifies organisms based on selected
physical characteristics based on close
relationships of organisms such as for
plants (based on reproductive structures)
and animals (based on their evolutionary
traits).
Scientist who developed classification:
3. Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919)

A German scientist who proposed

the third kingdom (Protista) which
includes unicellular microscopic
organisms.
Scientist who developed classification:
4. Herbert Copeland (1902-1968)

An American biologist who

contributed to the theory of
biological kingdoms and proposed
the fourth kingdom system
(Monera).
Scientist who developed classification:
5. Robert H. Whittaker (1920-1980)

He proposed the fifth kingdom system

(Fungi), these organisms secrete digestive
enzymes around their food, breaking it down
before absorbing it into their cells.
Biodiversity can be measured on three levels:

1.) Ecosystem diversity

Variety of ecosystems (variety of
species and ecological processes)
present in a biosphere (tropical,
rainforest, deserts, swamps, tundra
and everything in between).
Tropical Rainforest
Global Distribution

Closed Canopy forest

growing within 28
degrees north or south
of equator. Such forests Animal and Plants Species

are found in Asia,

Australia, Africa,
Central and South
America, Mexico and
many countries in the
Pacific islands.
Tropical Rainforest
Global Distribution

They are very wet

places, receiving more
than 200 cm rainfall per
year, either seasonally Animal and Plants Species

or throughout the year.

Temperatures are
uniform high-between
20 to 30C.
Tropical Rainforest
Most diverse
terrestrial biome.
There are more
plant and animal
species in the
rainforest in fact,
90% of it is found
here.
 Global Distribution
Savanna
Located in Brazil, Colombia,
Venezuela, Australia, India
and most popular in Africa.
Biodiversity can be measured on three levels:

2.) Species Diversity

Total number of species weighted by
some measure of abundance such as
number of individuals.
Species is referred as the variety of
living things, it also served as the
basic unit of classification and
phylogenetic analysis.
Components of Species
Diversity
Species richness- count of species
Species evenness- quantifies how equal
the abundance of the species is; relative
abundance and distribution of species.
Keystone species- certain species that
play critical roles in the ecosystem they
inhabit because they affect the
abundance and health of many species.
Endemic species- species whose habitat
is restricted to a particular area.
 Palawan Pheasant

Philippine Eagle and Palawan pheasant

are notable bird species that are endemic
in the Philippines only.
Philippine Eagle
 Biodiversity can be measured on three levels:
3. Genetic diversity
The variety of genes within a
single species which give rise
to the variations that cause
species to evolve and adapt
over time.
It is represented by difference
in the sequence of
nucleotides that form the
DNA within the cells of the
organisms.
How many species there are?
• The natural world contains about 8.7 million species, according to a
new estimate described by scientist but the vast majority have not yet
identified and it takes more than 1,000 years to do a complete
cataloguing of the entire species.
• These 8.7 million are animals, with progressively smaller numbers of
fungi, plants, protozoa and chromists. Today, about 1.2 million species
have been formally described, the vast majority came from terrestrial
ecosystem rather than the oceans (World Conservation Union, 2014).
Direct Values of Biodiversity
Food
More than 90% of the calories
consumed by people worldwide came
from 80 plant species. Most people
depend mainly on domesticated species
for their dietary needs. Some 200
million depends on wild species for at
least part of their food. Food
biodiversity is the diversity of plants
and animals and other organisms used
for food, both cultivated and from the
wild.
Direct Values of Biodiversity
Medicine
In some countries, medicinal plants and animals provide most of the
drugs people use, and even in technologically advance countries like
Japan and USA. Half of the 100 most-prescribed drugs originated from
wild species. More than 70,000 different plant species are used
traditionally and modern medicine. At least 858 Philippine plant species
are used in the field of medicine. Local communities and indigenous
people rely heavily for medicines and health care.
Direct Values of Biodiversity
Clothing
Fibers which is one of the raw materials to produce cloth were derived from
diverse plant or animal species. Other clothing materials and accessories
derived also from animal parts.
Shelter
Some materials were derived from various plant sources.
Commercial and Industrial Use
Animals provide oils, fuels, silk, feathers, leathers and pets. Other plants are
main sources of livelihood.
Agriculture
Wild species are important in the production of domestication as they
become resources for new genes, Wild animal species are important in
improving the live stock production of cattle, pigs and poultry.
Indirect Values of Biodiversity
Social and Cultural Values
Many plants and animals are considered holy and sacred in different
cultures around the world.
Ethical Values
These values are related to conservation of biodiversity where
ethical issues of all life forms must be preserved. All species have a
moral right to exist independent of our need fir them.
Aesthetic Values
Natural landscapes at undisturbed places are a delight to watch and
also provide opportunities for recreational activities like bird watching
and nature photography. It also promotes eco-tourism which further
generates revenue by designing of zoological and botanical gardens,
national parks, wildlife conservation parks.
Indirect Values of Biodiversity
Educational and Scientific Values
These values include the unexplored or unknown potentials of
biodiversity.
Environmental Service Values
Carbon dioxide fixation through photosynthesis, maintaining
essential nutrients by carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus
cycles. Maintaining water cycles and recharging of ground water. Soil
formation and protection of erosion. Regulating climate by recycling
moisture into the atmosphere and detoxification and decomposition of
waste.
Biotechnology
The Biodiversity International has
released a module titled “Law and policy
of relevance to the management of plant
genetic resources” (Bragdon et al., 2005)
which primarily aims to help professionals
in managing, conserving and using plant
genetic resources for food security and
agriculture.
Flavr Savr Tomatoes
The Development of Genetically Modified
Crops
The first genetically engineered plant was created in 1983 when an
antibiotic-resistant gene was inserted into a tobacco plant. The first
genetically modified food was the Flavr Savr tomato, created in 1994.
This tomato had an extended shelf life, allowing it to be vine ripened
and then shipped to grocery stores without rotting. Although the fruit
had desired extended shelf life without rotting, it still softened, making
it little better than its traditional counterparts. Since that time, novel
genes have been inserted into many crop plants.
Genetically engineered crops have specific
traits such as the following:

1.) Herbicide tolerance-this traits allow farmers to spray their crops

with an herbicide which will kill the weed but not the crop.
2.) Pest tolerance- These GM plants have a natural resistance to pest.
Example, the European corn borer which is a destructive pest that
bores into corn stalks. When the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is
present in the corn, it produces a protein called Cry, which is toxic to
the European corn borer.
Genetically engineered crops have specific
traits such as the following:
3.) Disease resistance- Plants are susceptible to disease like humans,
and these diseases are caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses. Some GM
crops are developed to be resistant to specific diseases. Examples
include the papaya and some varieties of squash.
4.) Drought tolerance- Some crop varieties can be genetically
engineered to be hardier in drought conditions and use less water.
5.) Shelf life extended/ spoilage resistance- crops must travel from farm
to consumer without spoiling or being damaged. Some crops must
even be harvested before they ripe to increase their shelf life, tomatoes
are an example.
Seatwork: Crossword Puzzle