Chapter 51 Vanishing Species

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Chapter 5-1Vanishing Species

• Biology
• Ms. Baun

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Biodiversity

• Definition The variety of life found in an area.
  
• Greater number of species More biodiversity
• Increases as you go towards the equator
• Why?
• Islands which has more biodiversity, large or
  small islands?

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Importance of Biodiversity to Nature

• Food webs and food chains
• Symbiotic relationships
• Carrying Capacity increases w/biodiversity
• Stability of ecosystems increases with more
  biodiversity

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Importance of Biodiversity to People

• Food from plants and animals
• Improve health
• Pharmaceutical drugs
• Antibiotics
• Cancer drugs from plants and insects found in the
  rainforest

Rosy Periwinkle used to treat childhood leukemia
and Hodgkins Disease
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Loss of Biodiversity

• Extinction Disappearance of species
• Natural processes
• Human intervention
• Threatened species Rapid decline of species
• African Elephants for tusks
• Sea turtles
• Endangered Species Numbers are so low that
  extinction is possible
• Black rhinoceros for horns
• California Condor
• Florida Manatees
• Whale species

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Habitat Loss

• Species disappear because resources are taken
  away
• Examples
• Rainforest turned into farmland
• Pieces of coral reefs removed for souvenirs,
  building materials

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Habitat Fragmentation

• Separation of wilderness
• Smaller the area, small the biodiversity
• Examples
• Roads built through forests, making the areas for
  life smaller

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Biotic and Abiotic Issues

• Removal of biotic factors, such as trees or other
  organisms can restrict
• food sources,
• habitats,
• niches,
• populations from re-establishing themselves
• Change in climate (Global Warming?)

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Habitat Degradation

• Damage to the habitat by pollution
• Air affect breathing, burning of fossil fuels
• Water acid rain (pollution air), fertilizers,
  silt and oil after rains
• Land Landfills, fertilizers, pesticides

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Introduction of Exotic Animals
Exotic animals can result in over population and
possible extinction of native species