SPECIES EXTINCTION AND ADAPTION 4

• Biodiversity


  The variety of life in an area, referring to every living thing including plants, bacteria, animals and humans
• Population (in biodiversity)


  A group of organisms of the same species living in a certain place
• High diversity vs low diversity


  • Tuba tahari (marine ecosystem with different aquatic species) vs coconut plantation (dominated by coconut trees)
• Threatened species


  • Species whose population declines so fast that it becomes endangered, e.g. Philippine eagle, tamarao, tarsier
• Extinction


  When the last member of a species dies
• Extinct animals in the Philippines

  • Asian elephant (Holocene)
  • Fossil murinae (Pleistocene or Holocene)
  • Cebu tamaraw (Pleistocene or Holocene)
  • Panay cloudrunner (Holocene)
  • Panay striped rat (Holocene)
  • Philippine rhinoceros (Pleistocene)
  • Philippine tiger (Holocene)
• Natural causes of extinction


  • Climatic heating and cooling
  • Changes in sea levels or currents
  • Asteroids and cosmic radiation
  • Acid rain
  • Disease epidemics
  • Spread of invasive species
• Human causes of extinction


  • Increased human population
  • Habitat destruction and fragmentation
  • Pollution (water, air)
  • Climate change/global warming
  • Habitat degradation
• Organisms need a balanced environment, and if any part of the ecosystem is disturbed, other parts will also be affected
• Causes of Extinction of Species

  • Climatic Heating and Cooling
  • Changes in Sea Levels or Currents
  • Asteroids Cosmic Radiation
  • Acid Rain
  • Disease Epidemic
  • Spread of Invasive Species
  • Human Causes of Extinction
  • Habitat Degradation
  • Climate Change and Global Warming
• Causes of Extinction of Species


  • Climatic Heating and Cooling
  • Changes in Sea Levels or Currents
  • Asteroids Cosmic Radiation
  • Acid Rain
  • Disease Epidemic
  • Spread of Invasive Species
  • Human Causes of Extinction
  • Habitat Degradation
  • Climate Change and Global Warming
• Climatic Heating and Cooling


  • By the end of the 21st century, large portions of the Earth's surface may experience climates not found at present and some 21st century climates may disappear
• Habitat Degradation


  • Affects 86% of all threatened birds, 86% of mammals and 88% of threatened amphibians
• Human Causes of Extinction


  • Increase in population, destruction/fragmentation of habitat, pollution and climate change/global warming
• Spread of Invasive Species


  • They use resources that the other species depend on. Once competition gets too great, the survival of the fittest plan will begin, and one of the species, usually the natural one, will die off
• Acid Rain


  • This forms when sulfur dioxide and / or nitrogen oxides are put into the atmosphere. Increases the acidity of the soil which affects plant life. It can also disturb rivers and lakes to a possibly lethal level
• Disease Epidemic


  • Each species has defense mechanisms like immunities and the ability to fight disease. With the changing climate and landscape certain species are losing their ability to fend off disease. They are becoming more susceptible to disease and epidemics, which can lead to their eventual extinction
• Climate Change and Global Warming


  • The biodiversity Earth can't keep up with the rapid changes in temperature and climate. The species are not used to severe weather conditions and long seasons
• Changes in Sea Levels or Currents


  • This is the result of melting freshwater. The denser, saltier water sinks and forms the currents that marine life depends on. Ocean floor spreading and rising also affects sea level
• Asteroids Cosmic Radiation


  • The reverberations of their impact to Earth can be felt around the world. The impact site is completely destroyed. Radiation is being emitted from outer space and the sun. A supernova remnant is one source of cosmic radiation