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CHAPTER 10 BIODIVERSITY
NATURE’S MEDICINE
CABINET
Will the bark of an ordinary tree in Samoa
become a cure for cancer?
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NATURE’S MEDICINE CABINET
Will the bark of an ordinary tree in Samoa become a cure for cancer?
Biodiversity on our planet is our
greatest asset.
Within this diverse collection of plants,
animals, and other organisms, we have
the power to provide food for a rapidly
growing population, find cures for
disease, and insure our economic
survival.
There are many
compelling reasons to
protect species.
Main
Concept
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NATURE’S MEDICINE CABINET
Will the bark of an ordinary tree in Samoa become a cure for cancer?
At the end of this chapter you will
know:
• The importance of biodiversity as a
critical component of ecosystem
function.
• Taxonomy is how we organize
information about the organisms on
the planet.
• Why specific areas around the world
are classified as biological hotspots
and how they can be protected.
Learning Outcomes
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NATURE’S MEDICINE CABINET
Will the bark of an ordinary tree in Samoa become a cure for cancer?
Case study:
Dr. Paul Cox, a plant
physiologist, and his
family moved to the
Samoan rainforest in
hopes of finding a cure for
cancer among the many
plants in this lush, tropical
area.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Tropical regions around
the world hold extremely
high concentrations and
varieties of plants.
In addition to species and
genetic diversity, these
areas have many
communities and
ecosystems within a
variety of habitats and
trophic levels.
The particular area where
the Cox family settled had
especially high ecological
diversity.
Biodiversity includes genetic variation, much variety of
plant species, and many different community interactions.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Tropical regions around
the world hold extremely
high concentrations and
varieties of plants.
In addition to species and
genetic diversity, these
areas have many
communities and
ecosystems within a
variety of habitats and
trophic levels.
The particular area where
the Cox family settled had
especially high ecological
diversity.
Biodiversity includes genetic variation, much variety of
plant species, and many different community interactions.
10
Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Tropical regions around
the world hold extremely
high concentrations and
varieties of plants.
In addition to species and
genetic diversity, these
areas have many
communities and
ecosystems within a
variety of habitats and
trophic levels.
The particular area where
the Cox family settled had
especially high ecological
diversity.
Biodiversity includes genetic variation, much variety of
plant species, and many different community interactions.
10
Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Tropical regions around
the world hold extremely
high concentrations and
varieties of plants.
In addition to species and
genetic diversity, these
areas have many
communities and
ecosystems within a
variety of habitats and
trophic levels.
The particular area where
the Cox family settled had
especially high ecological
diversity.
Biodiversity includes genetic variation, much variety of
plant species, and many different community interactions.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Why did Dr. Cox
choose Somoa to
search for a cancer
cure?
Tropical regions are warm, lush, and
close to the equator. It’s this
combination of environmental factors
that gives areas like Samoa the
greatest diversity on Earth.
Diversity is found in the number of
species, genetic diversity, and also in
ecological diversity, or the wide
variety of communities and
ecosystems.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Bacteria – 7643 species known
Roundworms – 23,000
Vertebrates – 61,995
Fungi – 98,998
Arachnids – 102,248
Why did Dr. Cox
choose Somoa to
search for a cancer
cure?
Tropical regions are warm, lush, and
close to the equator. It’s this
combination of environmental factors
that gives areas like Samoa the
greatest diversity on Earth.
Diversity is found in the number of
species, genetic diversity, and also in
ecological diversity, or the wide
variety of communities and
ecosystems.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Plants – 310,129 species known,
390,800 estimated
Insects – 1 million species known,
9 million estimated
Why did Dr. Cox
choose Somoa to
search for a cancer
cure?
Tropical regions are warm, lush, and
close to the equator. It’s this
combination of environmental factors
that gives areas like Samoa the
greatest diversity on Earth.
Diversity is found in the number of
species, genetic diversity, and also in
ecological diversity, or the wide
variety of communities and
ecosystems.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
With diversity comes ecosystem service – Beyond providing goods, nature is a
machine supporting everything we do, from providing the oxygen we need for
survival to cleaning up our waste with filtering mechanisms.
Photosynthesis – Converting light energy
to the chemical energy that can be stored
and used by living organisms.
Population control – Competition and
predation maintain a balance of organisms
while helping maintain diversity.
Nutrient cycling – Using the organic and
inorganic materials from dead and
decomposing organisms to support new
life.
Pollination – Insects, birds, mammals, and
other organisms provide a mechanism for
distribution of critical genetic diversity and
generation of grasses, herbs, and other
plants.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Natural spaces and nature’s
services also provide cultural,
economic, and social value.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Natural spaces and nature’s
services also provide cultural,
economic, and social value.
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Biodiversity benefits humans and other species
Traditional healers use
medicine derived from
plants and insects to treat
and cure disease.
Like family recipes, these
natural remedies are
passed down through
generations and learned
through apprenticeships.
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Mamala tree – Source of anti-HIV drug candiate prostratin
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Chemical weapons in plants have
evolved over millions of years as
relationships between plants,
animals, and insects have been
forged.
These chemical weapons were
once the primary form of
healthcare and inspiration for new
drugs.
Western medicine has often
replaced natural sources and
inspiration for medicines with
pharmacology and lab-based
chemistry.
Still, nature holds a few secrets
that our best science has never
been able to uncover.
Botanists setting up protective fencing around the last
specimen of Delissea undulata found in the wild.
The loss of habitat from conversion for livestock has
been among the largest factors resulting in the loss
of this species.
For photos and information about Delissea undulata:
http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/collection/cpc_viewpr
ofile.asp?cpcnum=8438
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Loss of potentially life-saving drugs that have evolved over millions of years as
species become extinct
Biodiversity
Hotspots
Polynesia-Micronesia: 3074 endemic plants, 99
threatened species, 43 extinct species
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Loss of potentially life-saving drugs that have evolved over millions of years as
species become extinct
Biodiversity
Hotspots
Tropical Andes: 15,000 endemic plants, 487
threatened species, 2 extinct species
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Loss of potentially life-saving drugs that have evolved over millions of years as
species become extinct
Biodiversity
Hotspots
Guinean forests: 1800 endemic plants, 115
threatened species, 0 extinct species
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
Loss of potentially life-saving drugs that have evolved over millions of years as
species become extinct
Biodiversity
Hotspots
Indo-Malayan Archipelago: 15,000 endemic
plants, 162 threatened species, 4 extinct species
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Plants gain medicinal qualities as they adapt to other species
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Biodiversity is proving invaluable in the search for
cures
“There is a strong link between the
health of forests and the health of
humans. If people understand that a
rainforest might contain the best
cures for diseases that plague us,
they will care a whole lot more about
saving it.”
Plant physiologist, Dr. David Cox
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PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP
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UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE
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UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE
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ANALYZING THE SCIENCE
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EVALUATING NEW INFORMATION
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MAKING CONNECTIONS