Biodiversity PDF

 Species diversity  Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area. o it is the biodiversity at the most basic level. o It includes all the species ranging from plants to different microorganism. DEFINI...

 Species diversity  Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area. o it is the biodiversity at the most basic level. o It includes all the species ranging from plants to different microorganism. DEFINING SPECIES DIVERSITY Is defined as the number of species and abundance of each species that live in a particular location. SPECIES RICHNESS Number of different species present in an ecosystem. SPECIES EVENNESS Relative abundance of individuals of each of those TYPES OF species. The number of individuals SPECIES within a species is fairly constant across communities, it is said to have a high DIVERSITY evenness. The number of individuals varies from species to species, it is said to have low evenness.  Species diversity of earth it,s a number of variety of species in the earthFascinating Facts about Species Diversity on Earth: ▪ Number of Undiscovered Species: ▪ Scientists estimate there are around 8.7 million species on Earth, but only about 1.2 million species have been documented and classified, meaning millions remain undiscovered. ▪ Most of the undiscovered species are thought to live in tropical regions, particularly in the Amazon rainforest and deep oceans. ▪ 2.Insects Represent the Vast Majority: ▪ Insects are the most diverse group of living organisms, making up about 80% of all known species. For example, there are over 350,000 species of beetles alone.Thousands of new insect species are believed to be undiscovered, especially in tropical regions. ▪ 3.Plants as a Major Part of Biodiversity ▪ : Plants form a significant portion of Earth’s biodiversity, with nearly 390,000 known species. ▪ About 20% of these plants are at risk of extinction due to habitat destruction, climate change, and urban expansion. ▪ 5.Trees Alone Are Rich in Diversity: ▪ Scientists estimate there are around 60,000 different species of trees worldwide. Many of these species are found in the Amazon rainforest, which is the largest habitat for trees. ▪ Some tree species, like the Japanese red pine and the African baobab, are unique and can live for thousands of years. ▪ 6.Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity: ▪ Up to 1 million species could face extinction in the coming decades due to climate change, which causes temperature increases, ice melt, and habitat shifts. ▪ 7.Soil Biodiversity: ▪ Soil contains a complex ecosystem with millions of species, including worms, insects, and bacteria, which help in decomposing organic material and enriching the soil. ▪ Soil biodiversity is essential for agriculture and food sustainability. ▪ 8.Fungi and Biodiversity: ▪ There are around 144,000 documented species of fungi, but the actual number could be much higher, possibly between 2.2 to 3.8 million species. ▪ Fungi play a crucial role in breaking down organic material and are essential for many plants that rely on fungi to exchange nutrients. ▪ 9.Discovery of New Species Every Year: ▪ Around 15,000 to 18,000 new species are discovered each year. These can be plants, animals, or even microorganisms. ▪ Importance of SpeciesDiversitySpecies ▪ diversity refers to the variety of different species within a given ecosystem or on Earth as a whole. This diversity plays a critical role in the health and stability of ecosystems and is fundamental for the overall functioning of the biosphere.Here is an overview of why species diversity is so important: 1-Ecosystem Stability and Resilience: The ecological stability of anecosystem is defined as the ability of a system to continue functioning under changing conditions or during disturbances.More diverse ecosystem tend to be more productive. E.g. theecosystem with a great variety of producer species will produce largebiomass to support a greater variety of consumer species. Ex. The ocean is the most stable ecosystem 2. Interdependence ofSpecies all living things grow, survive, and reproduce because they exist with other living and non-things that help provide the food and other resources that sustain them. These are interdependent relationships. No living thing can exist without these interdependent relationships. Greater species richness and productivity makes an ecosystem more sustainable and stable.Ex.(People dependent on nature for survival (hunting, gathering) ▪ More diverse the ecosystem, greater is the ability to withstand environmental stresses like drought or invasive infestations. ▪ Species richness makes an ecosystem able to respond to any catastroph For example, if an area of forest is destroyed by fire or Cutting down trees , it is easier for 3-The importance the diverse forests to recover more of a lot of quickly ▪ In species-rich communities, each diversity species can use a different portion of resources available as per their requirement. E.g. Plants with smaller roots can absorb water and minerals from shallow soil and plants with deeper roots can tap deeper soil. ▪ The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the “lungs of the planet,” plays a crucial role in Earth’s atmosphere. It’s estimated to produce around 20% of the Earth’s oxygen through photosynthesis. This process involves plants absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Different organisms play specific roles within ecosystems: * Pollinators: These creatures, like bees, butterflies, and birds, help plants reproduce by transferring pollen between flowers. * Symbiotic Relationships: These are interactions between different species where both organisms benefit. * Decomposers: Organisms like bacteria break down dead organisms and waste products, returning nutrients to the soil Biodiversity, or the variety of life on Earth, is essential for the health of our planet. A diverse ecosystem is more resilient and can better withstand disturbances like climate change or disease outbreaks.  Rich diversity is important for the survival of mankind all humans cant be survival without biodiversity Healthy biodiversity is innumerable benefits like nutrients storage and recycling, soil formation and protection from eroison absorption of harmful gases climate stability  Humans get lots of product from nature like fruits  Humans get lots of product from nature like wood Humans get lots of product from nature like medicine