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An Introductory Lecture for

Natural Science 5

BIODIVERSITY
and
SUSTAINABILITY

Outline
What is biodiversity?
What is sustainability?
How does biodiversity contribute to sustainability?

What is biodiversity?

BIO - life

DIVERSITY - kinds

Genetic diversity

B
I
O
D
I
V
E
R
S
I
T
Y

Species
diversity

ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY

RAINFORESTS

CORAL REEFS

MANGROVES

RIVERS AND LAKES

Biodiversity
Biodiversity maintains the
health of the earth and its
people.
It provides us with food and
medicine and contributes to
our economy.
It tells us a lot about the
health of the biosphere.
The greater the variety of
species, the healthier the
biosphere. Why is this?

The more links in a food web, the more stable it is.

MORE PLANTS = MORE FOOD FOR


OTHER ANIMALS (more oxygen, too!)
MORE GENES = BETTER CHANCES FOR
SURVIVAL THROUGH ADAPTATION
A VARIETY OF ECOSYSTEMS = MORE
HABITAT FOR DIFFERENT SPECIES

Sustainability
The ability to maintain
ecological processes over
long periods of time.
What are these ecological
processes?
1. Biogeochemical
Sustainability ofcycling
an
2. __________
ecosystem is the ability
3. Food
chains
and food
of that
ecosystem
to webs
4. Population
maintain itsdynamics
structure and
function over time in the
face of external stress.

Sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY
The ability to maintain
ecological processes over
long periods of time.
What are these ecological
processes?
Sustainability of an
ecosystem is the ability
of that ecosystem to
maintain its structure and
function over time in the
face of external stress.

Sustainability
Is strongly linked to
ecosystem health.
The more sustainable
an ecosystem is, the
healthier it is
because it is able to
deal with external
stress better
(i.e. limiting factors).

Examples of limiting factors?


Human activities eg. deforestation,
overfishing, pollution, habitat
destruction

Natural disasters eg. tornadoes


volcanic eruptions

BUT how does an ecosystem


become sustainable?

By having a lot of b_____

Biodiversity and Sustainability


The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes
to the sustainability of that ecosystem.
Higher/more biodiversity = more sustainable
Lower/less biodiversity = less sustainable
High biodiversity in an ecosystem means that
there is a great variety of genes and species in
that ecosystem.

Biodiversity and Sustainability


A great variety of genes and species means that the ecosystem
is better able to carry out natural processes (?) in the face of
external stress. More species will help with the BGC and more
genes available for succession and evolution
Thus, the ecosystem is more

sustainable.

Biodiversity and Sustainability


The more sustainable an ecosystem is, the
better it is for the environment and for people.
People use ecosystems as sources of food,
medicine and money.
Thus, it is in everyones best interest to
increase the sustainability of ecosystems.
How can we do this?

How?
Recycling
Reusing
Caring for the environment (planting,
etc)
Reduce pollution
Sustainable fishing
Avoid overhunting

For Example...
The greater the variety of genes and species of
fish, plants and animals in the Laguna Lake
ecosystem, the more biodiversity.
Higher biodiversity will increase the
ecosystems sustainability
Why is this important?

Bangus

Biya

Carp

Laguna Lake
We rely on Laguna Lake ecosystem for many
things:

fish for food and commercial use (revenue).


land and plants for food and revenue (agriculture).
nutrients from biogeochemical cycles.
water and landscape for tourism (beaches, etc.).

Coral Reef Ecosystem


We rely on Coral Reef Ecosystem for many
things:
fish for food and commercial use (revenue).
potential source of medicines from invertebrates
ecotourism sites (scuba diving, snorkeling, beaches,
etc.).

MAIN POINTS!
HUMAN ACTIVITIES

NATURAL
ECOLOGICAL
PROCESSES

BIODIVERSITY
SUSTAINABILITY

THE END

ASSIGNMENT
Individual output: Draw in a white sheet
your perception about environment or nature
and how the three things: yourself, society,
and environment are intertwined.
Backpage: name, age, and sex

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