What does BIO mean BIO LIFE What does

• What does “BIO” mean? BIO = LIFE • What does “DIVERSITY” mean? DIVERSITY= VARIETY

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things

Life is really surprising and what makes it even more incredible is the infinite variety of forms in which it appears: there are gigantic animals like the whales, and living creatures that are so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. Bacteria: Spirilla Bacteria : Bacilli

Life has invaded our planet reaching the farthest corners of the Earth and adapting to the most diverse situations. There are creatures that can live in the cold polar regions, others that live in the arid deserts, fish that live in the deep abysses

This richness of forms of life is called : .

There are 3 components of biodiversity 1. Genetic diversity: Number of different versions of the same genes within individual species Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all the same species —but they're not the same because there is variety in their genes. Chihuahua Beagle Rottweiler

There are 3 components of biodiversity 2. Species diversity: Number of different kinds of organisms within communities or ecosystems For example: monkeys, dragonflies, and meadow beauties are all different species . Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Meadow Beauty

There are 3 components of biodiversity 3. Ecosystem diversity: Number of different types of ecosystems. Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers are all Freshwater Ecosystems. Rocky coast, Sand Dune, Coral Reef are all Marine Ecosystems.

So what’s an ECOSYSTEM? ? ? ECOSYSTEM DEFINITION “ A self-contained community of microorganisms, animals and plants, that interact with each other and with their physical environment. ” example of marine ecosystem

Within an ecosystem there can be many HABITATS might describe: The NAME of the place where the creature lives. eg Arctic Canada is the habitat of the polar bear Ursa maritima.

HABITATS might describe: THE Dominant vegetation of the place where the creature lives. • The DOMINANT VEGETATION of the place where the creature ace where the Eg. Ecreature lives. Eg: the savannah is the habitat of the elephant • The DOMINANT VEGETATION of the place where the creature lives.

HABITATS might describe: The TYPE of place where the creature lives. eeg Eg: species of fish like Pike ( Esox lucius ) are found in freshwater lakes and ponds.

So what’s a species A species is difficult to define exactly!!

1. A group of morphologically similar creatures which can: • Interbreed to produce fertile offspring 2. Creatures who are related through PHYLOGENY • Similar DNA • Similar proteins eg in blood • Similar biochemistry • Similar embryology

The Earth is losing species at an alarming rate • Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 species per hour are going extinct and 20, 000 extinctions occur each year. • when species of plants and animals go extinct, many other species are affected.

Biodiversity is important for Human life

What do we get from biodiversity? Oxygen Food Clean Water Medicine Aesthetics Etc, etc……….

Just think that approximately one third of the food that we eat comes from plants that have been pollinated by over 100, 000 different species of bees, flies, butterflies and birds! Biodiversity is of fundamental importance also in medicine. Infact, a large number of species of plants are used for medicinal purposes, since very ancient times.

An example is quinine, extracted from the Cinchona that is used to fight malaria. tree, Also many industrial products are obtained due to biodiversity: Lubricants , , perfumes , paper, waxes rubber are all derived from plants, and also products of animal origin such as wool , silk leather , etc.

Biodiversity is Effected by Several Biotic and Abiotic Factors, but the Greatest Threat to Biodiversity is Human Impact