Biodiversity

Loss
Which do you like better?

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Which do you like better?

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Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

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Which do you like better?

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Which do you like better?

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Which do you like better?

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 Biodiversity
What does “Bio” mean?

Bio =
 Biodiversity

What does “Diversity” mean?

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

• Scientists have identified more than 1.4 million species. Tens of

millions -- remain unknown (www.thecatalogueoflife.org)

•The tremendous variety of life on Earth is made possible by

complex interactions among all living things including micro
oganisms.
What is Biodiversity?
Bio= Life
Diversity= Variety
The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly
referred to as Biodiversity. Biological diversity encompasses
microorganism, plants, animals and ecosystems such as coral reefs,
forests, rainforests, deserts etc. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem
productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an
important role to play.

Why is it the fact of concern?

“At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80 per cent of the
needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition,
the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical
discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such
new challenges as climate change.”
-The Convention about Life on Earth, Convention on Biodiversity
website..
CONCEPT AND TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is the variety of life forms on earth and the

essential interdependence of all living things.

As defined in convention on Biological diversity singed at Rio

De Jenerio (Brazil) in 1992 by 154 countries, the Biodiversity
defined as “the variability among living organisms from all
sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic eco-systems and the ecological complexes of which
the area part- this include diversity with in species, between
species and of ecosystem.”

According to IUCN in 1998, “the variety and variability of

species of their population, the variety of species of their life
forms, the diversity of the complex association with species
with their interaction and their ecological process which
influences perform.”
 BIODIVERSITY AND BALANCE OF NATURE

Tropic Level: Elimination of species from tropic level can cause

destruction of ecosystem as well as biodiversity.

Complex Ecosystem: In a complicated ecosystem having several

tropic levels, loss of one or more spices do not cause any serious
problem because the alternative available.
Keystone Species: Loss or addition of species causes detectable
changes in ecosystem rates i.e. species make unique contribution to
ecosystem functioning.
Niche Complementary (position balancing): Difference among
species in their requirements for different resources will cause
complementary interaction so that a species could obtain more
resources.
 Facilitation and Mutualism: Plants may also
benefit from their neighbors through amelioration of
the physical and biotic environment.

Portfolio (large) Effect: Species richness increases

the temporal stability of the entire community while the
biomass is stabilized.

Insurance Hypothesis: Biodiversity buffers

(shields) ecosystem against environmental changes
such as global warming.
 Why do we need Bio-diversity?
Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where
each species, no matter how small, all have an
important role to play. For example, A larger
number of plant species means a greater variety
of crops. Greater species diversity ensures
natural sustainability for all life forms. Without BIO
diversity, species will extinct one by one. It means,
we (as human) need bio-diversity to save
ourselves from extinction any way, any how… 17
 Necessity:-
1. For Balance:- For balancing ecosystem,
we need biodiversity. There are lot of
different species lives in any particular
ecosystem who depends on each other
for food chain, for oxygen or other
reason which makes the ecosystem
balanced.

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2. Food Variety:-
From different
animal or
different plants,
we may get
different food
test. Various
food variety can
be obtain from
various plants or
animals as food
products--
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3. For medicine: We find medicine from
different-different plants or animals or micro
organisms like bacteria.

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And so many other reasons,
we need biodiversity.

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 There are 3 components of
biodiversity
1. Diversity of genes
Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all the same
species (A species is often defined as a group of
individuals that actually or potentially interbreed in nature.)
—but they're not the same because there is variety in
their genes.

Chihuahua Beagle Rottweilers

 There are 3 components of
biodiversity
2. Diversity of number of species
For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and
meadow beauties are all different species.

Saki Monkey Dragonflies Meadow Beauty

 There are 3 components of
biodiversity
3. Variety of ecosystems

Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers are all Freshwater Ecosystems.

Rocky coast, Sand Dune, Salt Marsh , Coral Reef are all
Marine Ecosystems.

So what’s an ECOSYSTEM???
DEFINITION of ECOSYSTEM

“ A self-contained community of
microorganisms, animals and plants, that
interact with each other and with their physical
environment.”

A rock pool
Within an ecosystem there can be
many HABITATS
• This is the physical and chemical
description of where a creature lives...
 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.

• eg Heather moorland is the habitat of the

grouse.
 HABITATS might describe:
• The TYPE of place where the creature
lives.

• 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
• Are ‘reproductively isolated’.
• Problems with this definition include…
• Extinct creatures eg T. rex
• Creatures who breed asexually eg bacteria
• Creatures who can’t be tested ethically eg
Man x Chimp
 2. Creatures who are related
through PHYLOGENY
• Similar DNA
• Similar proteins eg in blood
• Similar biochemistry
• Similar embryology
 DNA profiles of Primates

• % DNA
similar
• Gibbon Orang Utan Gorilla Chimp Man
• 100
• 99
• 98
• 97
• 96
• 95 Humans share 98-99% of
• 94 their DNA with Chimps.
• 93 They are our closest
living relatives.
 Why is a list
of species not
‘Biodiversity’
?
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which has more cultural
diversity?

A B
Which has more biodiversity?

A B
Which has more biodiversity?

A B
 RECENT ISSUES ON BIODIVERSITY

Some 75 per cent of the genetic diversity of crop

plants been lost in the past century.

Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 species per hour are

going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur each year.
Roughly one-third of the world’s coral reef systems have been
destroyed or highly degraded.

About 24 per cent of mammals and 12 per cent of bird species are
currently considered to be globally threatened.

More than 50 per cent of the world’s wetlands have been drained,
and populations of inland water and wetland species have declined
by 50per cent between 1970 and 1999.
 BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY

Consumptive value:
Food/Drink
Fuel
Medicine
Batter crop varieties
Industrial Material

Non-Consumptive Value:
Recreation
Education and Research
Traditional value
 Ecological services:

Balance of nature
Biological productivity
Regulation of climate
Degradation of waste
Cleaning of air and water
Cycling of nutrients
Control of potential pest and disease
causing species
Detoxification of soil and sediments
Stabilization of land against erosion
Carbon sequestration and global climate
change
Maintenance of Soil fertility
 Biodiversity has Intrinsic Value
Intrinsic Value = Something that has value
in and of itself
Intrinsic value: Belonging to the essential nature.
Nature working as it is; species are the product of a long
history of continuing evolution by means of ecological
processes, and so they have the right to continued
existence.
Intrinsic value exists wherever self-valuing beings exist.
 Biodiversity also has Utilitarian Value

Utilitarian Value = the value something has as

a means to another’s end.

Utilitarian values include:

• Goods eg sustainable timber
• Services eg eco-tourism
• Information eg National Park Wardens
 What do we get from
biodiversity?

Oxygen
Food
Clean Water
Medicine
Aesthetics
Ideas
 Should we be concerned about
biodiversity?
What we know:
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.
Threats to biodiversity

 Habitat destruction
 Pollution
 Species Introductions
 Global Climate Change
 Exploitation
 CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity inventories
Conserving Biodiversity in protected Habitats-
• In situ conservation
• Ex situ conservation
Seed Bank, Gene Bank, Pollen Bank, DNA
Bank
Restoration of Biodiversity
Imparting Environmental Education
Enacting, strengthening and enforcing Environmental
Legislation
Population Control
Reviewing the agriculture practice
Controlling Urbanization
Conservation through Biotechnology
 GOALS OF CONVENTION
ON BIODIVERSITY
“The conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable
use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing
of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic
resources”
“Biodiversity is a common concern of humankind and
an integral part of the development process”

• > 100,000 plant/animal species lost in last 5 years

• Habitat loss is biggest current threat to biodiversity
• Deforestation and forest degradation has increased
since the Rio Earth Summit
 BIODIVERSITY
• How many species are there?

-- 1.4 million named species (70% of which are

invertebrates)

-- estimated 3 to 50 million species alive!

Loss of Biodiversity

Loss of biodiversity or biodiversity loss is the

extinction of species (human, plant or animal)
worldwide, and also the local reduction or loss
of species in a certain habitat.
The current rate of global diversity loss is
estimated to be 100 to 1000 times higher than
the (naturally occurring) background
extinction
rate and expected to still grow in the upcoming
years.
 But what are we doing? We are
making bio-diversity loss. How??
Increasing population: our Birth rate of
131.4 million people every year. But the
death rate 55.3 million. That means 77
million people increases every year. So, we
extend our residential area for living, every
year. For the sake of extending our living
area, we are destroying natural area
(habitat of vegetable species/animal
species) and transforming into our
residential area.
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Deforestation:- Due to deforestation,
habitat loss for animals as well as
plants.

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 Pollution
Water pollution, air pollution, We are
good at pollute things. We even
genetically modifying organisms now a
days from natural organisms. Such as:-
Genetically modified corn , Genetically
modified soybean , Genetically
modified sugar beets etc.

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Pollution

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 Climate changes
Climate changing is also one of the big reason
of bio-diversity loss. We are the main reason
for climate changing by polluting the
environment. By pollution, green house
effecting on planet earth resulting of hot and
humid weather and glacier melting from north
and south pole. As a result, water increasing on
earth surface and natural disaster occurring
more often now a days. That’s a great cause of
destroying living organisms.
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 THREATENS OF
BIODIVERSITY?
• Background extinction (95% of all extinctions)
• Mass extinction
Causes of the Loss of Biodiversity

•Alteration and loss of the habitats

•Introduction of exotic species and genetically
modified organisms
•Pollution
•Climate change
•Overexploitation of resources
•Invasive alien species
•Armed conflict
•Excessive nutrient load
•Land use intensification
• over-exploitation of economically valuable
species
BIODIVERSITY
Background rates

• 1 mammal species
every 400 years

• 1 bird species/200 yrs

Now…………...

• 10,000 times the

background rate!

• 20-75 plant/animal
species each day?
 Overexploitation of
resources
Hunting, fishing, poaching or even firming
is a cause of Bio-diversity loss.

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So, here the question comes – How to
stop or reduce bio-diversity loss??

1. Restore habitat in your yard : If you have a yard,

consider turning it into a mini-wildlife sanctuary.

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2. Restore habitat in your community :- If you don’t have a
yard, consider volunteering on an ecological restoration project
in your area.
3. Reduce your consumption :- This is arguably the action that
will have the biggest positive impact on the environment. The
more we reduce our demand for new resources, the less habitat
will be destroyed to get those resources or the energy to make
those products, and the less waste goes into the landfill.
4. Reuse and recycle:- Composting is key here. It reduces the
amount of waste going into landfills and the space needed to hold
that waste. Look into ways you can use those purchases intended
for single-use. Keep up with what is recyclable in your area.
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5. Educate yourself:-
We all should educate our self
on the necessity of Bio-
diversity, how we are
destroying and what concern
we may need to reduce bio-
diversity loss.
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Some Factors of Biodiversity Loss
 Massive Extinctions From Human Activity
• At threat of extinction are
o1 out of 8 birds
o1 out of 4 mammals
o1 out of 4 conifers
o1 out of 3 amphibians
o6 out of 7 marine turtles

• 75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost

• 75% of the world’s fisheries are fully or over exploited

• Up to 70% of the world’s known species risk extinction if the global

temperatures rise by more than 3.5°C

• 1/3rd of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with

extinction

• Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity

Human Disturbance Map to Biodiversity
 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
Natural causes:

Narrow geographical area

Low population
Low breeding rate
Natural disasters
Anthropogenic causes:
Habitat modification
Overexploitation of selected
species
Innovation by exotic species
Pollution

Hunting

Global warming and climate

change

Agriculture

Domino effect
 ENDANGERED VS
THREATENED

Threatened: population low but extinction less imminent

Endangered: nos so low that extinction imminent
THE GREATEST THREAT
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
 RATES OF DEFORESTATION
1981-1990:
• 0.9%/year
• 53,000 sq. mi./year
• 21,000 sq. mi. in
South America (Amz)
= area of NC

• By 1988, +/- 10% of

the Amazon had been
cut down

• Due to isolation of
fragments and in
forest/clearing
boundaries = 16%
affected by deforestation
 CAUSES

• Widen agriculture (slash-and-burn)

> 60% of deforestation
> Rapid decline in soil productivity (nutrient storage?)
> Can be sustainable
-- (15 - 20 year rotation)
> Inequitable land ownership (e.g., Brazil where only 5% of
farmers own land)
 CAUSES

• Commercial logging

21% of deforestation
Creaming of the most valuable hardwoods
1-2 trees per hectare taken (widespread damage)
Clear cut versus selective
 CAUSES

• Cattle ranching
12% of deforestation
frequently aided by government subsidies
2 trees destroyed for each hamburger made from
“tropical forest beef”
What you can do to save Biodiversity

• Don’t buy animals and rare plants or objects produced with

tortoise shells, ivory, exotic feathers, shark teeth, fur, coral
and shells.
• Avoid killing organisms with no reason.
• Don’t deteriorate the environment.
• Try to avoid all any energy waste.
• Move preferably on foot, by bike and public transport.
• When it’s possible favor recycled products.
• Don’t feed wild animals as you could alter the delicate
balance of the food chain and involuntarily cause their death.
• Always remember that in every natural environment where
you might be, from forest to sea, we are always guests and as
such we should respect all life forms.
• Plan your day on biodiversity.
• Try to communicate to everyone close to you respect and
love for nature but also everything you have learnt on this
issue
 CONCLUSION

Biodiversity is our life. If the Biodiversity got lost at

this rate then in near future, the survival of human
being will be threatened. So, it is our moral duty to
conserve Biodiversity as well our Environment. Long-
term maintenance of species and their management
requires co-operative efforts across entire landscapes.
Biodiversity should be dealt with at scale of habitats
or ecosystems rather than at species level.