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Transcript
Lesson 8 – Biodiversity Our World Ontario Biodiversity • Biodiversity is the number of different species living in a given area or ecosystem • Approximately 1.5 million species have been identified and studied • Biologists estimate that there are between 5 and 50 million species on Earth • Greater biodiversity exists in ecosystems near the equator than in those near the poles • Higher temperatures and greater amounts of rainfall contribute to high biodiversity Benefits of Biodiversity • Ecosystems with high rates of biodiversity are better able to remain healthy and stable when disturbed • The more diverse, the better able to withstand diseases, droughts, loss of a species, or arrival of new species • Ecosystems with less diversity are more fragile Protecting Biodiversity • Human actions such as pollution, habitat destruction, and the introduction of new species can harm ecosystems • The best way to protect biodiversity is to limit these disturbances • Protecting biodiversity keeps ecosystems healthy Biodiversity under Attack! • There is greater threat to biodiversity in areas that are heavily populated by humans such as southern Ontario • More natural ecosystems are cleared for farming, housing, or road construction • More pollution is created, which can damage ecosystems and the organisms that live in them Species at Risk • The greatest threat to biodiversity is that a species can become extinct • An extinct species no longer exists on Earth • The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) monitors species and separates them into four categories: Species at Risk • Special Concern – may become threatened or endangered because of various factors – E.g. Polar bear, great blue heron, Atlantic cod Species at Risk • Threatened – likely to become endangered if no action is taken – E.g. Humpback whale, wood bison, Kentucky coffeetree Species at Risk • Endangered – in immediate danger of becoming extirpated or extinct – E.g. Barn owl, swift fox, northern cricket frog Species at Risk • Extirpated – no longer exists in the wild in a specific area – E.g. Paddlefish, grey whale Species at Risk • Extinct – no longer exists on Earth – E.g. Great Auk, passenger pigeon, sea mink Extinction • Extinction is a process that may result from natural catastrophes or gradual changes • Asteroid impacts, volcanic eruptions, or natural climate changes can wipe out entire species, but they are rare • The greatest threat to today’s species is human activity • Of 700 known vertebrates to have become extinct in the last 400 years, 12 had lived in Canada Reasons to Protect Biodiversity • Ensure ecosystem stability and sustain all life forms • Provide natural processes to produce oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen that protect our planet • Help species adapt to changes in their environment • Provide raw materials for food, clothing, medicine • Enhance our quality of life by adding variety to our surroundings • Help shape our culture and inspire poets, painters, and writers