An introduction to biodiversity what is biodiversity and why is it important. Biodiversity conservation different methods and strategies. Introduction to biodiversity center for biodiversity outcomes. In this special year, the united nations forum on forests unff and the secretariat of the convention on biological diversity cbd are working together to highlight the importance of forest biodiversity. The concept of biodiversity has provoked considerable debate and misunderstanding among the general public, decisionmakers, and even the scientific community. Biodiversity encompasses several facets, including genetic diversity, endemism, diversity of. Biodiversity includes the genetic variability for which different varieties of spices have appeared in the course of evolution and diversity of life forms such as plants, animal microbes, etc. Introduction the term biodiversity encompasses variety of biological life at more than one scale. Biodiversity is the variety of living species on earth plants, animals and micro organisms and the ecosystems they form. Biodiversity is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.
It refers to all the variety of life that can be found on earth plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live. Deniz bertuna, teaching assistant at the school for the environment talks about the importance of biodiversity for coasts and communities open course. It helps maintain ecological processes, creates soils. Introduction to biodiversity center for biodiversity. Classification of biodiversity ppt and pdf easy biology. In watersheds where vegetation has been removed, ooding prevails in the wet season and drought in. Biodiversity refers to the variety of species, their genetic makeup and the natural communities in which they occur. Biodiversity worksheets and introduction teaching resources. Second, human activities have contributed, and still contribute, to unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss, which threaten the stability and continuity of. Timely overview of the serious attempts made to quantify and describe biodiversity in a scientific way acts as an easy entry point into the primary literature. Let us more specifically discuss the conservation of biodiversity in india. Terrestrial biodiversity is usually greater near the equator, which is the result of the warm climate and high primary productivity.
If you are generating a pdf of a journal article or book chapter, please. If you observe the world around you, it is easy to see that some animals and plants are alike in the way that they look and in the things they do, and others are quite different from one another. Nearly 45,000 species of plants and twice as many of animals have been recorded from india. First, it provides a wide range of direct and indirect benefits to humans. Alpha diversity, beta diversity, gamma diversity, what are the uses of biodiversity. Biodiversity wildlife habitat assessment introduction biodiversity refers to the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, and is one measure of the health of ecosystems. Much has been published on the subject since its first appearance at the national forum on biodiversity in september, 1986, the proceedings of which became the bestseller, biodiversity. However, the burning of fossil fuels in recent history has caused a dramatic increase in the levels of carbon dioxide in the earths atmosphere, which have now reached levels never before seen on earth.
Your first research project is designed to introduce you to a. Pdf biodiversity is the variety of different forms of life on earth, including the different plants, animals, microorganisms, the genes they contain. All sectors of world society affect this diversity to a greater or lesser extent, whether through direct exploitation of resources or the indirect impact of other activities. Biodiversity is the shortened form of two words biological and diversity. Biodiversity can be measured through the use of quantitativeindicators, although no single unified approach exists. Biodiversity the constellation of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms on earth. Introduction definition, classification, importance and measurement of biodiversity look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better albert einstein. Thomas m brooks, center for applied biodiversity science conservation international, washington dc, usa any direct or indirect human activity that threatens the planets biological diversity in the form of genes, populations, species, ecosystems, or other levels ofbiological organization is considered a threat to survival. Habitat loss is directly linked to human induced pressures on land. Biodiversity constitutes the most important working component of a natural ecosystem.
Introduction the term biodiversity encompasses variety of biological life at. Calculating biodiversity indices ecologists use biodiversity indices to determine if a community or ecosystem is diverse. The biodiversity worksheets use data from the organic and conventional parts of the farm. Introduction biodiversity requires our attention for two reasons. To maintain lifesupporting systems and essential ecological processes. To ensure conservation of biodiversity sustainable use of biodiversity rational and equitable share of profit to accrue from use of genetic resources. As an estimate, there are around 45,000 species of plants and about 90,000. Biodiversity is the variety of different forms of life on earth, including the different plants, animals, microorganisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they form. Biodiversity also underpins ecosystem function and the provision of ecosystem services. Pdf an introduction to biodiversity concepts for environmental. Conservation of biodiversity can be studied in different segments.
India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries of the world. Like all biological systems, the oceans are experiencing an ecologically and evolutionarily unprecedented series of stresses, many of which are changing the structure and organization of marine communities. Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on earth. Biodiversity and conservation although india h as only 2.
The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat are fundamental to our existence. It refers to all the variety of life that can be found on earth plants, animals, fungi and. Biodiversity is most often understood in terms of the number of species or other taxa. The biosphere comprises of a complex collections of innumerable organisms, known as the biodiversity, which constitute the vital life support for survival of human race. Biodiversity is also important for global soil and water protection. Terrestrial land and aquatic water ecosystems are comprised of. The second convention organized at johannesburg in 2002 called world summit on sustainable development wssd where the biodiversity and sustainable ecosystem management was the issue.
The loss of biodiversity is dangerous and its consequences are immediate. Biodiversity accounting an introduction information sheet 1 the uks native wildlife biodiversity has been in serious decline for the last 50 years, especially following the intensification of agriculture since the 1970s. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels fluctuate in a cyclical manner. Biodiversity is the variety of living species on earth plants, animals and microorganisms and the ecosystems they form. Science sauce is a home for science teaching and learning resources. Introduction to biodiversity biodiversity is the shortened form of two words biological and diversity. An introduction to pennsylvania species, habitat, ecosystems, and biodiversity what is biodiversity. Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on earth, and is richest in the tropics. Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is a term that refers to the number of genes, species, individual organisms within a given species, and biological communities within a defined geographic area, ranging from the smallest ecosystem to.
Introduction to exploring biodiversity biodiversity is defined as the degree of variation of living organisms within a particular ecosystem or the entire planet. Introduction the genes, species and ecosystems that comprise biological diversity provide resources and services that are essential to mankind. Biodiversity loss, also called loss of biodiversity, a decrease in biodiversity within a species, an ecosystem, a given geographic area, or earth as a whole. Pdf biodiversity is a valuable, but poorly understood, natural resource, which is being lost at an accelerating rate as a result of human actions. Also tell them that their answers wont be graded and that its ok if many of their answers are. Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as clean, consistent water flows, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The importance of biodiversity was one of the key subjects of the 1992 world. Biodiversity conservation has three main objectives. Go to biodiversity is the rich variety of life on earth to learn more about biodiversity. Introduction the term biodiversity was first coined by walter g. Going by the raw definition, biodiversity is the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a given region. It started from a single biology video posted on youtube that turned out to be quite popular and grew from there.
Biodiversity is the amount of variety of life on earth. The biodiversity heritage library works collaboratively to make biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community. Biodiversity conservation is the protection and management of biodiversity to obtain resources for sustainable development. Biodiversity definition biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part.
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