IB Geography
BIODIVERSITY TERMINOLOGY
BIODIVERSITY FACTS & STATISTICS
WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?
Module as Described in the IB Syllabus: Explain the concept and importance of biodiversity in. Examine the causes and consequences of reduced biodiversity in this biome.
BIODIVERSITY AND CHANGE
Biodiversity is defined as the variety of all life forms on earth - the different plants, animals and microorganisms and the ecosystems of which they are a part of. It is also the shortned form of two words "biological" and "diversity." It refers to all the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.
There are different types of Biodiversity as well
1. Genetic Biodiversity is the variation in genes that exists within a species and is contained in plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms. It occurs within a species as well as between species.
2. Ecosystem Diversity refers to all the different habitats - or places - that exist, like tropical or temperate forests, hot and cold deserts for example. Each ecosystem corresponds to a series of complex relationships between biotic (living) components such as plants and animals and abiotic (non-living) components which include sunlight, air, water, minerals and nutrients
3. Species Diversity refers to the variety of different species (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) such as palm trees, elephants or bacteria;
Why Biodiveristy is threatened: Habitat loss and fragmentation is usually a direct result of human activity. Itis an important cause in the loss of species, populations, and ecosystems: when people cut down forests, dig mines, build cities, or make roads, they destroy habitats or create obstacles that fragment habitats.
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The 5 Threats to Biodiveristy...
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1. Climate Change: Changes in climate throughout our planet's history have, of course, altered life on Earth in the long run — ecosystems have come and gone and species routinely go extinct.
- Some species eventually die out and others are not able with climate change
How can humans help? : Educate the public about carbon footprints, promote education and contact elected officals to help out.
2. Deforestation & Habitat Loss: Deforestation directly causes the extinction of species due to habitat loss. An estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year, due in part to logging and other human practices, destroying the ecosystems on which many species depend.
How can humans help? Policy making - companies and corporations can adopt best practices and refuse to use timber and paper suppliers that contribute to deforestation.
3. Overexploitation: Overhunting, overfishing and over-harvesting contribute greatly to the loss of biodiversity, killing off numerous species over the past several hundred years. Poaching and other forms of hunting for profit increase the risk of extinction;
How can humans help? Conservation and continued awareness surrounding overexploitation, especially poaching and overfishing.
4. Invasive Species: The introduction of non-native species into an ecosystem can threaten wildlife. (either as predators or competing for resources), affecthuman health and upset economies.
How can humans help? To create systems to prevent introduction of invasive species in the first place, effectively monitoring for new infestations and swiftly eradication newly detected invaders.
5. Pollution: This includes the burning of fossil fuels to the dumping 19 billion pounds of plastic into the ocean every year, pollution completely disrupts the Earth's ecosystems.While it may not necessarily cause extinction, pollutants do have the potential to influents species' habit. Pollution also impacts ocean ecosytems and many others, leading to the loss of Biodiversity
How can humans help? Recycling, conserving energy at home and using public transportation.
http://mashable.com/2015/05/23/biodiversity-threats/#xUC2l9ClJGqQ
The Map above represent the Deforestation Index of 2012. There are few countries in extreme risk, but the most noticable one it Brazil. This is because it is home to the Amazon forest therefore deforestation would be quite noticable. South America as a continent is in fairly high risk in comparison to other continents, and the same applies for australia as a whole. South, Central and Eastern Africa are also high risk areas. Nothern Africa is in medium risk, which may be due to the Sahara Desert
Overall, the majority of countries that are in extreme high risk are those with diverse rainforestry such as the DRC, which has a large rainforest, inclusive of the Congo Basin. North America is a low risk, so are parts of Eastern Asia, possibly because they did not have much forestry to begin with.
Video Critique: Why is Biodiversity important?
Map of Deforestation
This video was a very good introduction to biodiversity because it was easy to understand yet detailed. It also gave the example of the Amazon, and how it is a great example of biodiversity with regards to how all the aspects of biodiversity are present and linked. It gave the example of the amazon forest in South America and how the complex system is upheld by all the different components. It also refered to the entire set up as a 'weave' and brought forth the idea that biodiversity is important because if one speci
es does not make it, the entire system doesnt have to collapse because "the volume and complexity of species form such rich biodiversity". With regards to the forest, taking away one component will not destroy the entire system. However, with coral reefs for example, they are very important as many other organisims depend on it. It is regarded as a keystone species - thus ocean acifification, pollution and many other human activities have the ability to destroy entire systems, affecting Biodiversity. Humans need this Biodiversity as well so it is important to conserve it.
The Rainforest & Biodiversity
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Case study: Brazil (the amazon)
There are few countries in extreme risk, but the most noticable one it Brazil. Here are some facts about it.
1. One nearly extinct rainforest is the Atlantic forest of Brazil, which originally had an area of one million km2, but by now, consists of only 35,000 km2
2. Large-scale deforestation in the Amazon region of Brazil began in the late 1950’s
3. Conversion of the forest to cattle pasturees in particular sections is one of the main causes of deforestation.
4. Road conttruction into the Amazon begun in the 1960's, and is also a cause of deforestation .
Hotspots : Mesoamerica Case Study
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TOP 5 COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST BIODIVERSITY
Brazil 59,851
Colombia 54,649
China 34,687
Indonesia 32,680
Mexico 28,836
The video below is a simplified explanation of the Mesoamerican Hotspot situation.