FY Biology Notes: Biodiversity

Biodiversity: pp. 8 13 definition: variety and number of life forms (species) on Earth 1.7 million different kinds identified, more discovered each day (e.g. rainforest) could be as high as 15 million Species - def: group (population) of organisms able to interbreed under natural circumstances - biological species concept - usually supported by difference in appearance - hybridization: a cross between 2 diff. species, naturally occurring but uncommon - when organisms reproduce asexually, above definition does not work, and must rely on differences in physical characteristics or morphology - even though individuals in a species are similar, there are individual differences/variability - differences due to small genetic differences/heritable info. - species may also change over time (i.e. evolutionary change over many generations), or over space - may develop into new species when populations separate Biodiversity - genetic diversity: variations in genetic make-up between individuals of the same sp. - sexual reproduction produces unique combinations, individual variation e.g. characteristics related to human appearance (hair, skin, eye colour, height) - importance? Ecosystem Diversity - variety of species and their physical environments - heterotrophs: cannot make their own food, must feed on living or dead organisms - autotrophs: make their own food (e.g. plants) but still depend on other organisms to recycle nutrients, pollinate Interactions (table 1, p. 11) - interdependence between species in order to survive

FY Biology Notes: Biodiversity

- food supply, protection or shelter, transportation, reproduction, hygiene, digestion - contribute to stability and success of the ecosystem - stability: better able to survive climate extremes, disease, infestations - success: productivity, growth, amount of life supported - species diversity: includes variety of species but also quantity within a species Habitat Diversity - structural diversity: variety of physical habitats and communities (e.g. forest canopy, understory, herb layer) - critical to biodiversity because provides variety of microhabitats, places to live for a variety of organisms Biodiversity at Risk - need to maintain biodiversity essential to ecosystem health and sustainability - loss of biodiversity affects humans o loss of species may threaten food supply o availability of known and potential natural medicines o habitat loss affects forestry and tourism o possibly disrupt natural cycles, like carbon uptake - extinction a natural process - natural rates of extinction vary - occasionally mass extinctions when large portion of life becomes extinct e.g. 65 mya with loss of most dinosaurs - may be due to climate change caused by meteor impact or volcanoes - human causes: urban expansion, invasive species, over-harvesting wild pops, human-caused climate change (Arctic species like caribou, affected by changing vegetation) - estimation: 27 000 species lost per year