7U1L4 Biodiversity Intro

7U1L4 Biodiversity Intro

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

Multiple Choice

Sustainable means

• using a lot of energy

• being able to last for a long time by creating an ecological balance

• Being able to cause a stain

Today's Objective Question:

How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem

Poll

If you were quizzed today, would you know the answer to "How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem"

• Yes

• No

• I think so

• I'm not sure

Open Ended

What parts of this question do you not understand: (How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem)

Biodiversity describes the VARIETY of life across all levels of ecological organization.

Multiple Choice

What is biodiversity?

• the number of species in one area

• the number of one type of species in one area

• the variety of life in our ecosystems

• the relationships in an ecosystem

There are more specific types of biodiversity...

Genetic diversity

• This is the variation in genes that exist within a species

• The larger the gene pool (different traits), the greater the chance of surviving!

• For example, if a disease came that would destroy all of the red apples, there are many apples that would survive. If all the apples were red, they would all be gone!

Open Ended

You can see in this picture the variety of genes that exist in types of apples. Can you name another species that has similar variations?

Species Diversity

• The number of species and the abundance (amount) of each species that live in a particular location.

• Think about it - the more species, the larger the food web...

• The larger the food web, the more options animals have...

• The more options, the better off they are when one of the options disappears!

The closer to the equator, the more species diversity there is!

Tropical Rainforests only make up 6% of the land on earth, but they have 50% of the species!

Multiple Select

Species diversity includes:

• The number of species

• The amount of each species

• The different genes within a species

• The ways different species interact

Multiple Choice

Which biome has the most diversity?

• Alpine Tundra

• Temperate Forest

• Savannah or Grasslands

• Tropical Rainforest

Multiple Choice

Which biome likely has the least diversity?

• Alpine Tundra

• Temperate Forest

• Savannah or Grasslands

• Tropical Rainforest

Ecological Diversity

• This is the variety of ways species interact with each other and the environment.

• Think about this as the difference between an ocean coral reef and a Tropical Rainforest!

Multiple Choice

Where is the more biodiversity?

• Near the Poles

• Near the Equator

Benefits of Biodiversity

• Boosts ecosystem productivity - more variety

• More biodiversity means that the area is more resistant to changes (it is more sustainable!)

• More biodiversity means an area can better recover from a variety of disasters (floods, winds, diseases, etc)

Open Ended

Is this ecosystem diverse? Why or why not?

Irish Potato Famine

• in 1845 a fungus-like organism called Phytophthora infestans (or P. infestans) spread rapidly through potato crops in Ireland.

• In the first year it killed half of the potato crops, and in the next 5 years it killed 3/4 of the crops!

• Population in Ireland fell by 25% due to starvation and migration!

Open Ended

How do you think the Irish potato famine was a result of a lack of biodiversity?