Biodiversity and Taxonomy Quiz

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity is the variety of life forms on Earth and the essential interconnectedness of all living things.
• Bio = Life, Diversity = Variety
• The images show examples of the diverse life forms on Earth

Taxonomic Classification of Organisms

• Organisms are classified using a hierarchical system.
• Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
• "Dear King Philip Came Over For Good Soup" is a mnemonic device to remember the order of classification.

Father of Taxonomy

• Carolus Linnaeus was a Swedish naturalist and explorer.
• He developed the principles for classifying natural genera and species of organisms.
• He created a uniform system for naming organisms – binomial nomenclature (using two names).

Scientific Names

• The scientific name of a species is made up of two parts.
• Generic name (genus): the first part, used for a wider group of organisms
• Specific name (specific epithet or species):  the second part, used to describe a smaller, unique group of organisms

Definitions of Terms

• Extinction: the complete disappearance of a group of organisms due to an inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
• Species: a group of organisms with the same structure and characteristics who may interbreed.
• Ecosystem: a community of living organisms interacting with non-living environmental components in their ecosystem.

Causes of Species Extinction

• Taking animals for profit
• Hunting and Trapping
• Overharvesting
• Habitat Destruction
• Pollution

Population

• A population is a group of living things within a certain area that are all of the same species.
• Different populations may exist within the same community.

Communities

• Diverse communities with many different species (high index of diversity) are better at withstanding environmental changes compared to communities with only few species (low index of diversity).
• Index of diversity = number of species/number of trees.

Index of Diversity

• Vacant lots, grass lawns, and trees usually have lower indices of diversity.
• Communities with many different species have a high index of diversity.

Measuring Population Density

• Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume.
• Density = number of individuals/size of area

Example of Population Density Calculation

• If 60 ants live in a 4 square meter plot of grass, the population density is 15 ants per square meter.
• If 100 ants live in a 4 square meter plot of grass, the population density is 25 ants per square meter.

Factors Affecting Population Density

• Immigration (new members moving into the ecosystem)
• Emigration (members moving out of the ecosystem)
• Population sizes can be the same but have different densities due to immigration and emigration.

Immigration/Emigration

• Immigration: an animal moves to a new habitat because the new home offers resources or is suitable for them.
• Emigration: an animal leaves its current habitat, usually due to less optimal habitat conditions.

Limiting Factors

• Limiting factors are environmental conditions that restrict population growth.
• Limiting factors help keep populations in check, thus balancing the ecosystem.
• Examples of limiting factors include availability of food, water, living conditions, light, temperature, soil nutrients and more.

Carrying Capacity

• Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can support sustainably.
• If the population size goes over the carrying capacity, the population can decrease due to inability to meet needs for survival.

Endangered/Threatened Species

• A species is considered endangered when the population is so small that the species will likely become extinct without intervention.
• A species is threatened when they are at risk of becoming endangered in the near future.
• Criteria for classifying threatened species include habitat destruction, natural or man-made factors, population size reduction, and species' geographic range.
• Critically endangered species are at an extremely high risk of extinction.
• Endangered species are critically endangered but chances of survival are unlikely, in the wild.
• Vulnerable species are not critically endangered, but are under threat of extinction.

Examples of Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable Species (Philippine)

• Critically Endangered: Tamaraw (Mindoro), Waling-waling orchid, Philippine Eagle, Dugong.
• Endangered: Butanding, Molave, Philippine Turtle
• Vulnerable: Tiger cat, Apitong tree, sea horse, Philippine duck.
• Other Philippine terrestrial species include Tamaraw in Mindoro, Mouse Deer in Palawan, Philippine Deer, and Monkey-eating eagle.

Extinction

• Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species when the last of its members die.
• Causes of extinction include natural factors (environmental changes) and anthropogenic factors (human-made impacts).

Natural Causes of Extinction

• Change on Landscapes (global warming and climate change)
• Meteor impacts and cosmic radiation
• Extreme heating and cooling of the Earth's surface

Anthropogenic Causes of Extinction

• Habitat Destruction
• Invasive Species
• Population Growth
• Pollution
• Overexploitation

Examples of Extinct Animals

• West African black rhinoceros
• Pyrenean ibex
• Woolly mammoth

Local & Global Issues Contributing to Species Extinction

• Deforestation (Kaingin farming, Illegal logging, etc.)
• Water pollution (eutrophication, waste)
• Air pollution (pollution from cars, contributing to greenhouse effect and global warming)
• Destruction of Coastal Resources (deforestation, agricultural activities, mining activities, dynamite fishing, muro-ami)
• Acid Precipitation/Acid Rain

Biological Magnification

• This is the increase in concentration of pollutants in organisms in higher trophic levels of a food chain.
• Pollutants accumulate in higher trophic levels due to consumption of organisms that accumulate pollutants in their own tissue. PCB from toxic waste, can be dangerous to fish and humans.
• Pollutants like PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), mercury, and cadmium are examples.

Sustainable Development

• Sustainable development is the rate at which society uses renewable resources without exceeding the rate at which they are generated.
• This seeks to maintain resources necessary for survival while ensuring their availability in the future and protecting the environment.