Biological Diversity on the Planet

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Biological Diversity on the Planet

• How many different types of organisms are on
  Earth?

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Biological Diversity

• Refers to all of the different types of organisms
  on earth
• Organisms can live on land (terrestrial), in
  water (aquatic) or underground (subterranean)

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What is a species?

• Group of organisms with the same structures and
  can reproduce with each other
• Scientists estimate there are between 30 and 100
  million different species living today
• However, scientists have only described just over
  1.7 million different species

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Insects, Centipedes and Millipedes

• 963 000 different species (55.8 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes mosquitoes, beetles, flies, ants, etc.

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Plants

• 270 000 different species (15.6 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes all plants, trees, ferns, flowers, etc.

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Fungi and Lichens

• 100 000 different species (5.79 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes mushrooms, lichens (fungi and algae
  combined) and others

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Protozoans and Algae

• 80 000 different species (4.63 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes amoeba, paramecium, euglena and all
  types of algae

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Spiders and Scorpions

• 75 000 different species (4.35 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes all spiders, tarantulas, and scorpions

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Mollusks

• 70 000 different species (4.06 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Snails, slugs, clams, oysters, mussels, scallops,
  squid, octopi etc.

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Crustaceans

• 40 000 different species (2.32 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes shrimp, lobsters, crabs, etc.

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Roundworms

• 25 000 different species (1.45 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Common intestinal parasite of pets, hookworm,
  pinworm and trichinella

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Fish

• 22 000 different species (1.27 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes all fish such as salmon, trout, bass,
  marlins, sharks, stingrays, etc.

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Flatworms

• 20 000 different species (1.16 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Group including flatworms called platyhelminthes

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Earthworms and Leeches

• 12 000 different species (0.70 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Just as the group says, includes earthworms and
  leeches

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Reptiles and Amphibians

• 10 500 different species (0.61 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes frogs, toads, crocodiles, iguanas,
  alligators, etc.

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Jellyfish, Corals and Anemones

• 10 000 different species (0.58 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes the above species jellyfish, corals
  and anemones

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Sponges

• 10 000 different species (0.58 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Group including the sponges is called Porifera

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Birds

• 10 000 different species (0.58 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes eagles, hawks, albatrosses, robins,
  sparrows, etc.

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Mammals

• 4 500 different species (0.26 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Includes bears, monkeys, whales, tigers, etc.

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Bacteria

• 4 000 different species (0.23 of the worlds
  total number of species)
• Found everywhere, cause many diseases and
  illnesses in other organisms

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Species Distribution

• There are many more species located near the
  equator (particularly in the rainforests)
• As you move further north or further south from
  the equator, the number of species decline see
  example below
• Species of snakes in Mexico 293
• Species of snakes in US 126
• Species of snakes in Canada - 22