High Biodiversity its implications and effects

Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery.

Over generations, all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them distinct from other species. These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are considered different species. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species.

Scientists are interested in how much biodiversity there is on a global scale, given that there is still so much biodiversity to discover. They also study how many species exist in single ecosystems, such as a forest, grassland, tundra, or lake. A single grassland can contain a wide range of species, from beetles to snakes to antelopes. Ecosystems that host the most biodiversity tend to have ideal environmental conditions for plant growth, like the warm and wet climate of tropical regions. Ecosystems can also contain species too small to see with the naked eye. Looking at samples of soil or water through a microscope reveals a whole world of bacteria and other tiny organisms.

Some areas in the world, such as areas of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the southwestern United States, and Madagascar, have more biodiversity than others. Areas with extremely high levels of biodiversity are called hotspots. Endemic species—species that are only found in one particular location—are also found in hotspots.

All of the Earth’s species work together to survive and maintain their ecosystems. For example, the grass in pastures feeds cattle. Cattle then produce manure that returns nutrients to the soil, which helps to grow more grass. This manure can also be used to fertilize cropland. Many species provide important benefits to humans, including food, clothing, and medicine.

Much of the Earth’s biodiversity, however, is in jeopardy due to human consumption and other activities that disturb and even destroy ecosystems. Pollution, climate change, and population growth are all threats to biodiversity. These threats have caused an unprecedented rise in the rate of species extinction. Some scientists estimate that half of all species on Earth will be wiped out within the next century. Conservation efforts are necessary to preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species and their habitats.

1. Mr. JAN M. DELA CRUZ Teacher Welcome to our Science Class !

2. Prayer Let us all stand and implore the presence and guidance of the Lord.

3. How are you? 🙂😀😆😂😍🤩😎🥳🥸🤭

4. L et’s review! Say “Fact” if the statement is correct and “Bluff” if wrong. FACT or BLUFF

5. 1. Species is the basic unit of classification of an organism. FACT

6. 2. The scientific name of human being is correctly written as homo sapiens . BLUFF

7. 3. In ascending order, the Linnaean Hierarchical System of Classification is genus-species-family-order- class-phylum-kingdom-domain. BLUFF

8. 4. The three levels of biodiversity are genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity, and species diversity. FACT

9. 5. Biodiversity describes how varied living things are in a certain area as well as the community they form and the habitat they are living in. FACT

10. Activity Guess each missing word with the help of four pictures. This activity is called “Four-Pics-One-Word”.

11. C omplete the sentence. _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y

12. C omplete the sentence. _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y H I G

13. C omplete the sentence. _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y H I G I O I V E R S I T

14. C omplete the sentence. _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y H I G I O I V E R S I T C O Y S T E

15. C omplete the sentence. _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y H I G I O I V E R S I T T A Y S T E I L I T C O

16. Please read. What does this sentence mean? _ _ _ H B _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y maintains E _ _ S _ _ _ _ M S _ _ B _ _ _ _ Y H I G I O I V E R S I T T A Y S T E I L I T C O

17. High Biodiversity and Its Advantages

18. Objectives differentiate low biodiversity from high biodiversity; explain the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of an ecosystem.

19. ABC for Class Discussion and Activities Always keep your mind and heart open for learning. Bring a pleasing personality to the class. Contribute to the discussion and activities.

20. Activity The class will be divided into three groups. Each group needs to have a leader, secretary, reporter, and resource manager for borrowing and returning the materials for the activity. Each group will present their work in the class. Directions: Contrast the two pictures and answer the questions that follow.

21. GROUP 1 What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture A? What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture B? Which picture shows high biodiversity? Why? Which ecosystem can withstand pest attacks? Why? What are the advantages of high biodiversity? A B

22. GROUP 2 What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture A? What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture B? Which picture shows high biodiversity? Why? Which ecosystem can ensure food security? Why? What are the advantages of high biodiversity? A B

23. GROUP 3 What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture A? What are the biotic components of the ecosystem shown in picture B? Which picture shows high biodiversity? Why? Which ecosystem can provide protection against extreme weather conditions to nearby communities? Why? What are the advantages of high biodiversity? A B

24. Discussion Why did you consider these as low biodiversity? These have a few prominent species and a low number of other species within the habitat.

25. Discussion Can you think of other examples of places with low biodiversity? Denuded forest Polluted marine areas Highly urbanized areas

26. Discussion Why did you consider these as high biodiversity? These have high biodiversity since these have high number of different species.

27. Discussion Can you think of other examples of places with high biodiversity? Marine protected areas Tropical rainforests Mangrove forests

28. Discussion Group 1. Why is high biodiversity advantageous in maintaining the ecosystem stability? By ensuring that there are multiple sources of food to support the food web despite pest attacks. High biodiversity gives natural protection for certain species to avoid extinction.

29. Discussion When pest attacks, other plants, and animals can serve as natural pesticides or insecticides. In low biodiversity, as in the case of sugarcane farms, the sugarcane plant is left on its own to protect itself. Otherwise, the sugarcane plants will die and eventually affect sugar production in the community. The farmer will also be losing in his agricultural venture. With high biodiversity, when one plant is affected by pests, other plants can serve as food sources. Hence, the food web will not be severely affected.

30. Discussion Group 2. Why is high biodiversity advantageous in maintaining the ecosystem stability? High biodiversity maintains the stability of the ecosystem by providing a conducive habitat for all life forms. High biodiversity ensures several food sources are available to sustain the food chain.

31. Discussion High biodiversity maintains the stability of the ecosystem by providing a habitat that allows animals and plants to grow through their life stages. They can reproduce and function well in the ecosystem when their habitats are conducive. High biodiversity safeguards food security.

32. Discussion Group 3. Why is high biodiversity advantageous in maintaining the ecosystem stability? High biodiversity maintains the stability of the ecosystem by protecting other biotic components of the environment against extreme weather conditions.

33. Discussion High biodiversity maintains the stability of the ecosystem by protecting human settlements and other natural resources from the devastation caused by extreme weather conditions. For instance, mangroves can serve as a buffer of nearby communities from storm surge.

34. Activity Each of the three groups will be given an article to read in front of the class. Answer the question “What are the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of ecosystem?”. You have five minutes to finish the activity.

35. Group 1 Keeping biodiverse ecosystems intact helps humans stay healthy. Research indicates a close link between disease outbreaks and the degradation of nature. Seventy percent of emerging viral diseases have spread from animals to humans. As the global wildlife trade continues and development projects expand deeper into tropical forests, humans are increasing their exposure to wild animals — and the diseases they may carry. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic can likely be sourced to a wild animal and fish market in Wuhan, China. This shows that we must take care of nature to take care of ourselves. Deforestation is also accelerating climate breakdown, which may boost the spread of disease by allowing disease carriers like mosquitoes to extend their geographic ranges and infect new populations of humans. With COVID-19, we’ve seen the damage that diseases can do to human health and the global economy. By protecting biodiversity in Earth’s ecosystems, countries could save lives and money while helping to prevent future pandemics.

36. Group 1 What are the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of the ecosystem?

37. Group 2 Biodiversity is an essential part of the solution to climate change. In a landmark study published in 2017, a group of researchers led by Bronson Griscom , who researches natural climate solutions at Conservation International, discovered that nature can deliver at least 30 percent of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to prevent climate catastrophe. Protecting biodiversity plays a crucial part in achieving these emissions reductions. The destruction of forest ecosystems is responsible for 11 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans, so conserving forests would stop the release of these gases into the atmosphere. Trees and plants also store carbon in their tissue, making it even more necessary to protect them. Some ecosystems, such as mangroves, are particularly good at storing carbon and keeping it out of the atmosphere — where it contributes to climate change. Forests and wetland ecosystems provide crucial buffers to extreme storms and flooding related to climate change. These ecosystems are complex, which means they function best, and are more resilient to the effects of climate change, when all the pieces of the ecosystem are in place — meaning the biodiversity is intact. “For a relatively small investment, high-biodiversity forests and other ecosystems can be conserved and restored as a powerful means to rein in climate change while also helping communities cope with associated storms, flooding and other impacts,” Langrand said.

38. Group 2 What are the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of the ecosystem?

39. Group 3 High biodiversity support healthy ecosystems that we rely on. Conservation researchers Paul R. and Anne Ehrlich posited in the 1980s that species are to ecosystems what rivets are to a plane’s wing. Losing one might not be a disaster, but each loss adds to the likelihood of a serious problem. Whether in a village in the Amazon or a metropolis such as Beijing, humans depend on the services ecosystems provide, such as fresh water, pollination, soil fertility and stability, food and medicine. Ecosystems weakened by the loss of biodiversity are less likely to deliver those services, especially given the needs of an ever-growing human population. One example of this is Kenya’s Lake Turkana — the world’s largest desert lake, a habitat for a variety of wildlife including birds, Nile crocodiles and hippos and a source of food and income for about 300,000 people. The lake is under heavy pressure because of overfishing, cyclical drought, changing rainfall patterns and the diversion of water by upstream developments, and these changes are leading to a loss of biodiversity, declines in fisheries’ yields and a reduced ability to support humans. Without conservation methods in place, this could be the fate of many more ecosystems.

40. Group 3 What are the advantages of high biodiversity in maintaining the stability of the ecosystem?

41. LET’S WATCH A NEWS REPORT.

42. LET’S WATCH A NEWS REPORT. Can this project support high biodiversity, which can maintain the stability of the ecosystem? Why or why not?

43. What are the ways that we can do to achieve high biodiversity which can maintain the stability of ecosystem? Participate in environmental activities such as tree-planting, tree-growing, and coastal clean-up. Reuse, reduce and recycle resources as much as possible. Educate the young to spread and increase awareness.

44. TEST

45. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer.   Which has high biodiversity? Protected mangrove area Oil spill-affected coastal area Denuded forest Highly urbanized city

46. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 2. An area has low biodiversity if there are a few prominent species and a low number of other species within the habitat it has a high number of different species the ecosystem is not dependent on technology it has so many producers and consumers

47. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 3. Which is not an advantage of high biodiversity? Protection against extreme weather conditions Food security Natural safeguards against pest More natural resource for exploitation

48. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 4. High biodiversity can maintain the stability of ecosystem by Preventing species extinction Minimizing the effects of climate change Safeguarding humans from future pandemic All of the above

49. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 5. Which activity does not positively contribute to high biodiversity? Conversion of forests into subdivisions Creation of marine protected areas Strict implementation of environmental laws Strong environmental education in schools

50. Let’s check your work.

51. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer.   Which has high biodiversity? Protected mangrove area Oil spill-affected coastal area Denuded forest Highly urbanized city

52. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 2. An area has low biodiversity if there are a few prominent species and a low number of other species within the habitat it has a high number of different species the ecosystem is not dependent on technology it has so many producers and consumers

53. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 3. Which is not an advantage of high biodiversity? Protection against extreme weather conditions Food security Natural safeguards against pest More natural resource for exploitation

54. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 4. High biodiversity can maintain the stability of ecosystem by Preventing species extinction Minimizing the effects of climate change Safeguarding humans from future pandemic All of the above

55. TEST Direction. Read each question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer. 5. Which activity does not positively contribute to high biodiversity? Conversion of forests into subdivisions Creation of marine protected areas Strict implementation of environmental laws Strong environmental education in schools

56. T hank you!