Download The Earth`s Biomes, Biodiversity, and Conservation Course

UNIT III STUDY GUIDE
The Earth’s Biomes, Biodiversity,
and Conservation
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit III
Reading
Assignment
Chapter 5:
Biomes and Biodiversity
Chapter 6:
Environmental
Conservation: Forests,
Grasslands, Parks, and
Nature Preserves
Suggested Reading
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Define the term biome and describe the nine major terrestrial biomes.
2. Identify the three types of biodiversity and discuss the importance of
biodiversity to ecosystem health.
3. Define HIPPO and describe the human threats to biodiversity.
4. Evaluate the benefits and challenges of placing a monetary value on
ecosystem services.
5. Identify and describe potential solutions to deforestation and forest
degradation.
6. Discuss the benefits and consequences of logging old-growth forests
and federal land.
7. Discuss the threat of overuse and degradation in our National Park
System.
8. Describe the importance of preserve size and shape to species survival.
See information below.
Unit Lesson
Learning Activities
(Non-Graded)
See information below.
Key Terms
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Biodiversity
Biomes
Core habitat
Ecotourism
Edge effects
Estuary
Fragmentation
HIPPO
Invasive species
Mangrove
Overgrazing
Overharvesting
REDD
What makes a certain collection of plants and animals common in one area and
not another? Slight variations in such variables as precipitation, temperature,
and altitude can have a large impact on the type of life that can thrive in an area.
The earth’s ecosystems can be grouped into biomes, which are characterized by
their plant and animal life, climate, and geography. Within these biomes, there
are also vegetation zones that vary by altitude. This change in vegetation with
altitude is termed vertical zonation (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2011). By
studying the characteristics of the world’s biomes, we can make more accurate
predictions about what effects ecosystem disturbances will have. An
understanding of biomes also helps environmental managers to create effective
resource management and ecosystem restoration plans. The textbook describes
nine main biomes: tropical moist forests, tropical savannas and grasslands,
tropical seasonal forests, deserts, temperate grasslands, temperate scrublands,
temperate forests, boreal forests, and tundra. (Graphic below is on page 99 of
the textbook)
There are nine major biomes types in the world. These major types can be further
subdivided into classes, as identified in the graphic above. (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2011)
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In addition to terrestrial biomes, there are unique biological communities in
aquatic environments. Just as vertical zones of vegetation occur as the altitude
changes in terrestrial biomes, vertical stratification occurs in aquatic ecosystems
as a result of rapidly decreasing levels of light with depth (Cunningham &
Cunningham, 2011).
Tidal areas contain high levels of biological productivity and diversity. Coral reefs
are fragile ecosystems that support a wide variety of life. Along with mangroves
and estuaries, coral reefs are being threatened by human activity. For example,
the reefs are mined for limestone, used as a dumping ground for mine tailings,
and suffer the effects of nutrient-laden runoff and rising ocean temperatures.
In some countries, fifty percent of the coral reefs have been destroyed since
1988 (McCook et al., 2003). Freshwater ecosystems, such as wetlands, lakes,
rivers, and streams, are also being heavily impacted by human activity. These
biological communities are adversely affected by pollution, dam construction,
and water diversion for agricultural, industrial, and residential use.
A great variety of plant and animal life exists among these terrestrial and aquatic
biomes. This diversity of biological life is referred to as biodiversity. Cunningham
& Cunningham (2011) identify three main types of biodiversity that are essential
for preserving ecological systems and function:
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

Genetic diversity—the variety of versions of the same genes within an
individual species
Species diversity—the number of different kinds of organisms within an
ecosystem
Ecological diversity—the complexity of a biological community
Biodiverse ecosystems provide us with food, medicines, and pest control. A high
level of biodiversity can also enable an ecosystem to withstand disturbances. In
addition to the practical value of biodiversity, many people believe that there is
an intrinsic value to the variety of life in an ecosystem.
Another way to express the value of biodiversity is to estimate the economic
value of the ecosystem services that a stable ecosystem can provide. For
example, the bees that pollinate the coffee plants in Costa Rican coffee
plantations live in nearby forests. A study conducted on the economic value of
these forests indicated that two forest patches were contributing $62,000 worth
of pollinating services annually to a single coffee farm (Holtzman, 2012).
There are many threats to biodiversity, including invasive species, pollution, and
habitat fragmentation. Most of us can look around our local communities and see
how development has taken over farmlands and forests. This development does
more than destroy the habitat on which the construction occurs. The habitat that
is left is fragmented into small patches. This can affect species’ ability to
reproduce and decrease the stability of the ecosystem. (Graphic below is on
page 113 of the textbook)
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Over the years, as
more and more
people settled in an
area of Wisconsin,
depicted at left,
wooded areas that
served as habitats
became more and
more scarce.
(Cunningham &
Cunningham, 2011)
Chapter 6 focuses on actions that can be taken to conserve our resources.
Forests provide many valuable ecosystem services and products. However,
some forests are being rapidly depleted. Tropical rainforests, for example, are
being cut down at the rate of 3 million hectares a year (1 hectare = 2.471 acres)
(Cunningham & Cunningham, 2011). Much of this deforestation is caused by
logging, but some land is also being cleared for agriculture, ranching, and mining
purposes.
Human activity is also threatening grassland ecosystems. There are 3.8 billion
hectares of pastures and grazing lands in the grassland biome (Cunningham &
Cunningham, 2011). Overgrazing has accelerated desertification in recent years,
but new grazing and ranching methods are allowing some grasslands to recover.
National parks also help to preserve habitats and protect biodiversity. However,
there is some debate about the level and type of use that will allow people to
enjoy and appreciate nature without causing damage to the ecosystem. For
example, the eruption of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park draws quite a
crowd. However, the ecological impact of so many visitors could damage the
natural beauty the park is meant to preserve. How do we balance the desire to
view and experience our national parks with the need to protect the biological
communities within them?
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Thousands of park visitors wait for Old Faithful to erupt at
Yosemite National Park. How much damage can this large an
influx of visitors cause to the park’s natural habitat?
(Cunningham & Cunningham, 2011)


What species are being threatened by habitat destruction or pollution in
your area?
What parks or nature preserves surround you? How well are they
managed?
References
Cunningham, W. P., & Cunningham, M. (2011). Principles of environmental
science: Inquiry and applications. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Accounting for nature's benefits: The dollar value of ecosystem services. (2012).
Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(4), A138.
McCook, L., Richmond, Robert (American theatrical director), Sweatman, H., &
Wolanski, E. (2003). Mud, marine snow and coral reefs: The survival of
coral reefs requires integrated watershed-based management activities
and marine conservation. American Scientist, 91(1), 44+.
Suggested Reading
Learn more about this unit’s topics by researching the in databases of CSU’s
Online Library. The following are examples of relevant resources that are
available in the General OneFile database:
BEM 3201, Environmental Assessment

Doremus, H. (2010). The Endangered Species Act: Static law meets
dynamic world. Washington University Journal of Law & Policy, 32,
175+. This article discusses the history of the Endangered Species Act
and how conservation policy needs to change to keep pace with our
changing world.

Olmsted, P. (2010). Getting the price right: Paying for ecosystem
services recognizes the payback that these life-supporting processes
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offer. Alternatives Journal, 36(6), 14+. This article discusses the
monetary valuation of ecosystem services.

Echeverria, J., Johnson, N., & Revenga, C. (2001). Managing Water for
People and Nature. Science, 292(5519), 1071. This article discusses the
failure of water policy to protect water resources in much of the world.

Vaughn, C. C. (2010). Biodiversity losses and ecosystem function in
freshwaters: Emerging conclusions and research directions. BioScience,
60(1), 25+. This article discusses recent research on biodiversity loss.
Learning Activities (Non-Graded)
Final Paper Prep—Finding Sources
Conduct a literature review in preparation for your final paper. You should begin
your research and gather at least 5-10 sources that you could use as references
for your paper. Create an APA-formatted list of those sources that you could use
as your reference page.
Check your Knowledge
The Practice Quiz on page 126 offers you the opportunity to ensure that you
have mastered the Chapter 5 content, while you can find out how much you
learned from the Chapter 6 content by completing the Practice Quiz on page
151.
How much do you recall? Complete the questions in the chapter quizzes and
find out.
Apply What You Have Learned
What concepts and principles did you learn from the unit readings in Chapters 5
and 6? Can you answer the Critical Thinking and Discussion Questions on
pages 126 and 152? Start a discussion with your fellow students. If you do not
understand a concept or principle, contact your instructor for additional guidance
or information.
Data Analysis
Chapters 5 and 6 have introduced a variety of important environmental concerns
from around the world. If you were tasked with analyzing information concerning
environmental problems, would you be able to do it?

For example, what do you know about confidence limits, and N, the
number of survey routes from which population trends are calculated?
Learn more about these topics and how they applied to a breeding bird
survey in the Data Analysis section at the end of Chapter 5, on page
127.

Edge effects can be crucial indicators in a nature preserve. Find out how
to detect edge effects in the Data Analysis section following Chapter 3,
on page 75.
Non-graded learning activities are provided to aid students in their course of
study. These are non-graded activities, so you do not have to submit them.
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