Biodiversity

• Biodiversity


  The variation and richness of life at a particular scale
• Humans are part of a complex system and interdependent web of life and we are trying to understand our place in it
• Most of us have realized how dependent we are on biodiversity for most, if not all, our needs, and that a significant loss of biodiversity could seriously undermine our long-term well-being, be it intellectual, physical, emotional, and economic
• Species extinction has fast accelerated in the last fifty years to up to 1,000 times more than normal
• Species become extinct even before they are discovered and named
• The first Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro concluded that human activities were fast destroying ecosystems through loss of biodiversity at alarming rates
• Since this summit, there was an increase in desire to understand biodiversity loss and its impact on ecosystems
• People became keen to know how biodiversity loss affects the supply of goods and services
• Many international research endeavors were established and hundreds of experiments conducted around the world
• Biodiversity loss


  Reduction in biodiversity brought about by extinction or displacement of species
• Over time, the rate of extinction speeds up and its effects are felt dramatically in tropical ecosystems
• Drivers of biodiversity loss


  Natural causes and changes in environmental conditions brought about by human activities
• Biodiversity loss threatens the continuity of life because the ecosystem provides living beings with essential resources
• The losses of biodiversity at the local level have a collective direct impact at the global scenario
• Biodiversity


  The total richness and variety of life on Earth
• Levels of biodiversity


  • Genetic diversity
  • Species diversity
  • Ecosystem diversity
• Genetic diversity


  The sum total of information contained in the genes of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms
• Genetic diversity plays a very important role in the survival and adaptability of a species to changing environmental conditions
• Vulnerability of populations to diseases increases with decreasing genetic diversity
• Species diversity


  The variety of species, including their abundance, distribution and functions or interactions within a given spatial context
• Richness


  A measure of the number of different kinds of organisms present in a particular area
• Evenness


  Compares the similarity of the population size of each of the species present
• Some habitats or ecosystems have high species diversity, such as coral reefs or tropical forests
• Other habitats, like high altitude lakes, deserts, or the deep sea house lower species diversity
• Ecosystem diversity


  The distribution and abundance of habitats, biotic communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere
• Compositional biodiversity


  Describes the type of elements and the number of representatives present at each level (genes, species and habitat) in an area
• Structural biodiversity


  Describes the variety of arrangement of these components, i.e. variety of ways in which different habitats, species or genes are arranged over space or time
• Functional biodiversity


  The variety of biological processes, functions or characteristics of a particular ecosystem/area
• Functional biodiversity is thought to be one of the main factors determining the long-term stability and resiliency of an ecosystem
• Anthropocentric benefits from biodiversity


  The many potentials for different lifeforms to provide information necessary for science, materials that are useful to humans, and all other recreational, medical, or consumptive benefits
• Ecosystem services


  The services that ecosystems perform for humanity, such as purifying water and air, pollinating crops, stabilizing soil, maintaining a proper heat balance in the atmosphere, and cycling critical nutrients
• The Damage brought about by typhoon Yolanda to a coastal community in Cebu could have been very costly had it not been for the mangrove forests in the area providing the "services" of absorbing and slowing down the strong winds and waves
• Ecocentric benefits


  Based on the intrinsic value of biodiversity which is beyond any potential human uses
• Surrogate species


  Species that can represent a broader set of species and/or habitats to support conservation or management strategies
• Keystone species


  Play essential community roles and their impact on the community or ecosystem are much larger relative to its abundance, and more influential than expected
• Umbrella species


  Require such large areas of habitat that their protection might automatically protect a large number of naturally co-occurring species in several ecosystems and habitats
• Indicator species


  Species that set a benchmark against which comparisons can be made after a period of time whether conservation interventions are applied or not
• Flagship species


  Popular, charismatic species that serve as symbols and rallying points to stimulate conservation awareness and action
• Flagship species


  Species that serve to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause
• Focusing on, and achieving conservation of a flagship species, the status of many other species which share its habitat, or are vulnerable to the same threats, may also be improved