Biodiversity Aquatic Ecosystems & Biomes PDF

BIODIVERSITY AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS & BIOMES  OBJECTIVES At the end of this lecture students should be able to: Differentiate between species, genetic and ecosystem diversity. Describe the effects of temperature and precipitation on characteristics of biomes. List...

BIODIVERSITY AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS & BIOMES  OBJECTIVES At the end of this lecture students should be able to: Differentiate between species, genetic and ecosystem diversity. Describe the effects of temperature and precipitation on characteristics of biomes. List important uses for biodiversity. Differentiate between vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species. Differentiate between characteristics of endangered species and human activities that endanger species. Differentiate between in situ and ex situ conservation.  BIODIVERSITY Also called “biological diversity” Consists of the forms of life that can best survive Earth’s conditions Includes genetic diversity, species diversity & ecosystem diversity  GENETIC DIVERSITY Refers to the variety of genes within a single species http://www.free-pet-wallpapers.com/free-pet-wallpapers/free-pet- desktop-backgrounds/878103931.jpg  SPECIES DIVERSITY Refers to the variety of living organisms (species) on earth Approximately 1.7 – 2 million species have been formally identified  ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY Also called ecological diversity Variety of forests, Gut River, Manchester deserts, grasslands, streams, lakes, oceans and other biological communities http://www.komar.de/fileadmin/media/Fototapeten_Bilder/8- 005_Rocky_Mountains_hd.jpg  Importance of Biodiversity We are dependent on the rich variety of genes, species and ecosystems. They are important in: Agriculture Industry Medicine Ecosystem Stability Science Genetic Engineering http://static.guim.co.uk/sys- Aesthetics images/Environment/Pix/columnists/2010/8/13/1281700354396/Biodiversity-100- 007.jpg Ethics  AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS http://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/877x500p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/81/164/86805364.jpg  AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS Ecosystem within a body of water May be classified as freshwater or marine Prominent marine ecosystems in the Caribbean include: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8B0d3S1rPSU/TLSBajwie7I/AAAAAAAAABk/FhQh9BeDL5Q/s1600/Mangrove s+seagrasses+coral+reef.jpg - Mangroves - Seagrass Beds - Coral Reefs  AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS Coral Reefs Seagrass Beds Mangrove Burrwood Beach, Trelawny  MANGROVES Lies between the sea and land in areas inundated by tides Dominated by trees partially submerged in coastal wetlands Habitat for Jaedon Lawe ~2000 species  FUNCTIONS OF MANGROVES Protects shoreline from erosion Fish nursery Absorbs excess water Filters water from land https://news.ucsc.edu/2020/03/mangroves.html Encourages sediment deposition FUNCTIONS OF MANGROVES  SEAGRASS BEDS Important foraging ground for: grouper, grunt, snook, snapper, parrotfish, barracuda and tarpon Primary food source for turtles and manatees, https://www.coresciences.org/seagrass-research urchins and parrotfish Fish nursery ground  SEAGRASS BEDS Buffers wave action to stabilize sediments – clearer waters Filters nitrates and phosphates from water column https://www.rimonitoring.org/eelgrass-beds/  CORAL REEFS Found in warm, tropical and subtropical oceans (equatorial region) Coastal, shallow https://www.coraldigest.org/index.php/CoralGeography waters  CORAL REEFS Habitat for many marine plants & animals Protects shoreline from erosion https://earthjustice.org/slideshow/protecting-endangered-caribbean-corals  ABIOTIC FACTORS: WEATHER AND CLIMATE https://com-rheum.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2013/09/Wheather.jpg  Weather Short-term changes in temperature, pressure, precipitation and other conditions in the atmosphere at a given place & time http://www.thefutureschannel.com/img/weather/PredictingTheWea ther03.jpg http://s.imwx.com/img/intl/intl-video-still.jpg  Climate Average weather of an area Taken over a period of at least 30 years Temperature & precipitation are the 2 most important factors that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ClimateMap_World.png determine climate  BIOMES http://soils4teachers.org/files/images/s4t/elephants.jpg  BIOMES Large, relatively distinct terrestrial region Characterized by similar climate, soil, plants and animals regardless of where they occur in the world http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mP6apQATqB4/TNyk9di- PpI/AAAAAAAAAGo/uihAQqL2dT8/s1600/Biome_Comparison.jpg Climate and vegetation both vary with latitude and altitude  BIOMES The 9 major biomes are: Tropical rain forest Savannah Desert Chaparral Temperate grassland Temperate deciduous forest Temperate rain forest Taiga Tundra Source: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/l/loom/wk%2013/biome%20determine.jpg  TUNDRA Also called “arctic tundra” Just south of the arctic polar ice cap http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:800px-Map-Tundra.png Covered with ice & snow (for most of the year) Bitterly cold Permafrost http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/001/cache/high-sierra- tundra_190_600x450.jpg  TAIGA Also called “swamp forest” or “boreal forest” South of the arctic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Distribution_Taiga.png tundra Long, cold, dry winters with 6-8 hours sunlight Dominated by few species of coniferous evergreens http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Picea_glauca_t aiga.jpg/220px-Picea_glauca_taiga.jpg  TROPICAL RAIN FOREST Found near equator Warm temperature High precipitation http://www.mongabay.com/images/rainforests/world-rainforest-map.jpg Thin, nutrient-poor soil High biological diversity Lost to slash-and-burn cultivation and logging http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/wp- content/uploads/2014/03/Tropical_Rainforest.jpg  DESERTS Precipitation