AND EVOLUTION

Biodiversity – refers to the variety of life

in the area.
Species - basic concepts in the
classification of an organism.
• single species is a distinct kind of
organism with a characteristic shape,
size, behavior and habitat that remains
constant from year to year.
Extinction – the end of existence of a
group of organism, caused by their
Inability to adapt to changing
environment al conditions.
Ecosystem – is a community of living
organisms in conjunction with the
nonliving components of their
environment, interacting as a system.
These biotic and abiotic components
are regarded as linked together through
nutrient cycles and energy flows.
 IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
Humans are dependent on
biodiversity for their sustenance,
health, well-being and enjoyment of
life.
Food we rely on biodiversity to
provide us with a large and varied food
source.
Health- humanity derives many of it’s
medicines from biodiversity.
 THE VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY

Recreation - many recreation

activities rely on or benefit from
biodiversity.
Inspiration – biodiversity as a whole
inspires artists, musicians and
writers.
Escape – biodiversity provides a
sanctuary from the hustle and bustle
of everyday life.
CAUSES OF SPECIES EXTINCTION

• Taking Animals for Profit

•Hunting and Trapping
•Overharvesting
•Destruction of Habitat
•Pollution
Communities with many different
species ( a high index of diversity) will
be able to withstand environmental
changes better than communities with
only few species ( a low index of
diversity)
Index of Diversity = # of species x # of
runs
Vacant lots would have a low I.D. since there
are fewer species#distribution
of trees and
the grass lawn would also have a low I.D.
The tree I.D. might also have a low
I.D. Communities with many different species
have a high I.D.
 Measuring Population Density
•Population Density - is a measurement
of population per unit area or unit
volume. It is frequently applied to living
organisms.

Population Density = # of individuals

size of area
Populations can be of the same size, but
they may have different densities.
Differences in population density in
any community may be attributed to
many factors.
of an ecosystem.
2. They change with the number of
births and when they move into an
ecosystem.
3. They also change when members
die or move out of an ecosystem.
EXAMPLE:

Suppose 60 ants live in a 4 sq m plot

of grass. What would be the
population density of the ants? What
would the population density be if 100
ants live in an 8 sq m plot of grass?

Population Density = # of
individuals
size of area
= 60 ants = 15 ants/sqm
4 sq
Solution 2.

Population Density = # of individuals

size of area

= 100 ants = 12.5 ants/sq m

8 sq m
Limiting Factors
-Anything that limits the size of a
population like certain environmental
conditions.

Limiting factors keep population from:

• Increasing in size and
• Help balance an ecosystem.

Examples of Limiting Factors

1. Availability of food
2. Water and Living conditions
3. Light
4. Temperature
5. Soil Nutrients

Carrying Capacity
• the maximum population size an
environment can support.
•If the population size rises above the
carrying capacity, organism die
because they cannot meet all their
needs.
Threatened
• There’s a particular species decline s so
fast that becomes endangered .
• A study conducted by field biologist on
population size and distribution of
Philippine fauna they reported that as of
1991,

89 species of birds are

44 species of mammals
internationally
8 species of reptiles threatened
• These include also the Philippine
Eagle or Monkey-eating Eagle.
EXTINCTION
-The disappearance of a species when
the last of its member dies.
Cause:
• Changes to habitat due to increasing
population.
 Natural vegetation in the area has
been cleared.
Concrete structures and other
organisms gradually take over the
area.
Some areas were destroyed by
natural disaster.
 Local and Global Issues that
contributed to Species Extinction

Deforestation – one of the country’s

environmental problem is the rapid
rate at which trees are cut down.
-In the Philippines, the major causes of
deforestation are:
 Kaingin farming
 Illegal logging
 Conversion of agricultural lands to
housing projects
 Forest fires  Typhoons

Kaingin Farming
As a consequence of cutting down
trees, the following effects are:
• Soil erosion
•Floods
• Decrease in wildlife resources that
will eventually lead to extinction

Wildlife Depletion – deforestation is

one of the major causes of the
disappearance of wildlife species.
bodies.
EUTROPHICATION
 PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl)
-Through the process of biological
magnification, the PCB becomes
concentrated in the body tissues of
water organism.
- Biological Magnification – is the
build up of pollutants in organism at
higher trophic levels in the food chain.

Other pollutants found in water are

heavy metals: lead, mercury and
cadmium – these metals come from
factories that dump their wastes into
rivers or lakes.
 Greenhouse Effect – is the natural
process of warming the earth.
- is a process of trapping of heat by
gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide acts like a blanket
over the Earth, holding in the heat
that would otherwise radiate back
into space.
- but as carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere increases, greenhouse
effect also intensifies this will lead to
global warming.
Global Warmimg – is an increase in
the Earth’s temperature from the
rapid build up of carbon dioxide and
other gases. This in turn could change
the world climate.

Destruction of Coastal Resources

Coral reefs and coastal mangrove
forests in the Philippines serve as
breeding grounds and nurseries of
marine fishes.
But due to man’s activities, coastal
areas are getting destroyed through
the years. Some of these activities
include the following:
 Deforestation, agricultural activities,
and mining activities
 Dynamite fishing and muro-ami
 Coastal areas’ conversion to beach
resorts, residential areas
 Overharvesting
Human Activities and Overpopulation
This cause the most problems
nowadays. People are beginning to
realize that the way they interact with
the environment must change to
ensure the survival of all living things.
This is one big challenge to maintain
the resources needed for survival
while ensuring that they will still be
available in the future. This is a
practice called sustainable
development. This means that a
sustainable society should live
under the carrying capacity of the
environment. This means that the rate
at which society uses renewable
resources does not exceed the rate at
which the resources are generated.