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Biodiversity. Components and Benefits. One important renewable resource is biodiversity: The different life forms and life sustaining processes Biodiversity has four main components Species Diversity Genetic Diversity Ecological Diversity Functional Diversity. Biodiversity.
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Biodiversity Components and Benefits
One important renewable resource is biodiversity: The different life forms and life sustaining processes • Biodiversity has four main components • Species Diversity • Genetic Diversity • Ecological Diversity • Functional Diversity Biodiversity
The number and abundance of species present in different communities Species Diversity
The variety of genetic material within a species or population Genetic Diversity
The variety of ecosystems found on an area or on earth Ecological Diversity
The biological and chemical processes such as energy flow and matter recycling needed for the survival of living things. Functional Diversity
Biodiversity provides us with: • Natural Resources (food water, wood, energy, and medicines) • Natural Services (air and water purification, soil fertility, waste disposal, pest control) • Aesthetic pleasure Why Should We Care About Biodiversity?
Fossil Evidence, chemical analysis, Ice Core samples, and DNA analysis demonstrate that the biodiversity today is different from the biodiversity in the past Biodiversity of the Past Figure 4-4
Ecosystem Services • Ecosystem Function • Food Security • Drugs and Medicine • Tourism and Recreation • Keeping in Touch With Nature Benefits of Biodiversity
Service that nature provides humans/ecosystems • Clean air from plants Ecosystem Services
Increased biodiversity means more stability and better chance at bouncing back • Keystone species: take it away, ecosystem fumbles Ecosystem Function
Increased biodiversity (of crops) means more stable (disease resistant, tougher) • Is this better for the future? • Seed banks Food Security
Lots of drugs come from plants and other organisms (mostly the rainforest) • Aspirin Drugs and Medicine
Ecotourism (should have a balance between money and ecosystem) • Great Barrier Reef • Costa Rica • Fishing/Hunting Tourism and Recreation
Biophilia: the need to connect with nature • Outdoor activities • People “need” this Nature-deficit disorder • Children/people are spending less and less time outdoors Keeping in touch with Nature
Closer to the mainland, increased biodiversity • Bigger island, increased biodiversity • Habitat fragmentation: • The disruption of an organisms environment Island Biogeography