1. Biodiversity
Geog 100

2. What does it mean?
• Biological diversity…
– Species diversity
– Genetic diversity
– Ecosystem diversity
• About 1.4 million species have been described
by science, est’d. 10 to 15 million on Earth.
• http://tinyurl.com/283be52
• What does “endemic” mean?

3. Species change over time
• Most species that evolve on Earth eventually
become extinct as conditions change
• Scientists have identified at least five major
extinction events over the last 500 million
years or so, the last one about 65 million years
ago when 75% of species became extinct,
including most of the dinosaurs
• Today – a human-caused extinction event?
About 20% of vertebrates are threatened.

4. We are losing biodiversity
• Species extinction due to a variety of human
influences…
• H = Habitat Destruction & Degradation
• I = Introduced and/or Invasive Species
• P = Pollution
• P = Population Growth
• O = Over-consumption

5. Counting the loss
• Famous human-caused extinctions… dodo,
passenger pigeon, many island bird species.
• Some of Africa’s animals are on the brink…
black rhinos, the African wild dog, several
species of frogs & toads, turtles, and fish.

6. Dodo birds

7. Islands
• Island species are especially vulnerable to
extinction.
• Why?

8. Hunting passenger pigeons

9. The last one died in 1914

10. Species Under Stress
• Threatened species – IUCN Red List
• http://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Video
http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/evolution-
lost

11. Why it matters
• Extinction is forever
• "When we try to pick out anything [in nature]
by itself, we find it hitched to everything else
in the Universe.” – John Muir
• Ethical considerations – is destruction
permissible? Especially unnecessary
destruction?

12. 2010 was Intl Year of Biodiversity
• http://www.unep.org/iyb/
• Ilcp video… http://vimeo.com/11499468

13. I=PxAxT
• Impact on ecosystems
• Is a function of all three factors…
– Population
– Affluence (consumption)
– Technology

14. Protection for endangered species
• How can biodiversity be preserved?
• Saving the black rhino…
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilF0nU_d0
CY&feature=player_embedded#!

15. Biodiversity in RI
• Bioblitz
• http://www.rinhs.org/what-we-do/bioblitz/
• Group research
• Mammals, birds, trees, fish, reptiles &
amphibians, insects
• Bird video
http://www.youtube.com/mjgvideo#p/u/2/0Gyn
sgOJkWg
• Do we have endangered species in RI? Do we
have invasive species?

16. Learn more about biodiversity
• E.O. Wilson
• Umich.edu lesson
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalch
ange2/current/lectures/biodiversity/biodiversi
ty.html
• http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org

17. Next week
• Student reports.