Over 22,000 learners have used our materials to pass their exams. It is the most complex and important feature of our planet. Altogether, the food, commercial forestry and ecotourism industries could lose US$ 338 billion per year if the loss of biodiversity continues at its current pace. Biodiversity is also considered by many to have intrinsic value—that is, each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known to have value to humans. So you want to study biology…Duh! Biodiversity is good for the economy. These three levels work together to create the complexity of life on Earth. There are three levels of biodiversity: 1. Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms that exist on the earth, their interrelationships as well as their relationship with the environment. It is a natural science. It can be the cause of various grave problems like pollution, habitat loss, resource exploitation, climate change, species extinction, disease outbreak, and so on. Biodiversity is variation at … Module 23: Ecology. the population of the species falls below a critical level; Biodiversity. Biodiversity is important, more than just the 'I want my children to enjoy it' reason. Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. For example, the richness of diversity allows medicines and foods to be naturally available. It may not be clear why biologists are concerned about biodiversity loss. Both species diversity and genetic diversity are important within a habitat, because they make it more likely that the habitat can adapt successfully to changing conditions. At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. Traditionally, ecologists have measured biodiversity by taking into account both the number of species and the number of individuals in each of those species. A-Level Biology does pretty much what it says on the tin. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. Biodiversity. Human activities like changing land use, deforestation and peat bog destruction reduce this. A threat to biodiversity poses a threat to humankind. Consumptive use (3). So really, the important shift here is to stop thinking of the planet as a physical system but as a linked biological and physical system. Biodiversity describes the richness and variety of life on earth. 5.3 Importance of Biodiversity The Biodiversity Crisis. Ecological diversity (or biodiversity) is the total amount of variety within life on earth. 20.1) Biotechnology and genetic engineering Biotechnology is the application of biological organisms, systems or processes to manufacturing and service industries. Long chains of amino acids known as polypeptides fold around themselves in several ways to form complex structures called proteins. * Biodiversity also refers to number of different species living in a particular region. The more biodiversity, the stronger the ecosystem, the better it functions, and the better it can adapt to changes. A common measure of this variety, called species richness, is the count of species in an area. Each specification objective is covered in just the right amount of detail with clear diagrams and clever slide animations. Biodiversity is usually explored at three levels - genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. Biologists estimate that species extinctions are currently 500–1000 times the normal, or background, rate seen previously in Earth’s history. That’s why an ecosystem that’s losing biodiversity only declines slowly at first. Biodiversity or biological diversity is a term that describes the variety of living beings on earth. They are present abundantly in every living cell. Without biodiversity, all humans would basically be clones of each other. ‘Biodiversity’ comes from two words: ‘biological’, which means relating to biology or living organisms, and ‘diversity’, meaning a range of different things or variety. It … Read first: Gaston, K.J. Diversity in marine habitats Biodiversity is often a topic used in A level biology to introduce ecology, providing ample opportunities to undertake practical investigations, compile results which can be analysed using species diversity index and subsequently interpreted to compare particular habitats. We have moved all content for this concept to for better organization. Documenting spatial patterns in biodiversity is difficult because taxonomic, functional, trophic, genetic, and other dimensions of biodiversity have been relatively poorly quantified. Discusses the benefits of biodiversity. Please update your bookmarks accordingly. Biodiversity is a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem. An indicator species is a species that serves as a measure to the abiotic and biotic factors of the ecosystem. This is a fully editable PowerPoint presentation designed specifically for the new Edexcel A Level Biology B Specification for first teaching in 2015. Both processes often make use of bacteria because of their ability to make complex molecules (eg. How does biodiversity vary spatially across the globe? Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. Cycles occur all over biology and this is a good example of a question where you should be able to mention an extensive range of subjects. The natural disaster prevention mechanisms in most ecosystems and other free services we all get from the surrounding environment are not easily replaceable or replicable, so maintaining biodiversity is important. Indirect use (1). We value biodiversity for many reasons, some utilitarian, some intrinsic. This means we value biodiversity both for what it provides to humans, and for the value it has in its own right. The current high rates will cause a precipitous decline in the biodiversity of the planet in the next century or two. For economic and various life support reasons, it is very important to protect and preserve biodiversity. There is a growing recognition that the level of biodiversity is an important factor in influencing the resilience of ecosystems to disturbance. Uses of biodiversity: Ø Biodiversity, besides its ecological significance, provides a socio-economic asset to the nation. proteins) and their […] In fact, I consider it as the science of the 21st century. Proteins are the polymers made up of thousands of amino acids linked via peptide bonds. ecosystem that they are in and are extremely important in the function and structure of that ecosystem. Genetic diversity: It refers to the variation in gene within a species. Why Biodiversity is Essential for Sustainable Development. Biology is the study of life. An example would be certain types of moss since they can indicate the level of nutrition in the soil and the acidity. Best CBD Oil for Anxiety The cell cycle including G1 (in which some organelles are replicated), S phase (in which DNA is replicated) and G2 then mitosis. The number of animals living on the Earth has plunged by half since 1970. Genetic diversity. It enables the population to adapt to its environment and respond to natural selection. The number of tigers has plunged by 97% in the last century. This A-Level Biology section of Revision Science explains biodiversity classification including examples. Where is biodiversity highest and lowest? 2000, Global patterns in biodiversity, Nature, 405, 220-227 The paper by Gaston (2000) is an excellent place to start researching the spatial patterns of biodiversity, and some of the theories proposed to explain these patterns. But when it loses too much, it hits a tipping point and falls off a cliff. I would aim to include the following: 1. Biodiversity, also called biological diversity, the variety of life found in a place on Earth or, often, the total variety of life on Earth. Traditionally, ecologists have measured biodiversity by taking into account both the number of species and the number of individuals in each of those species. Having a low biodiversity isn’t necessarily an issue. For example deserts and arctic regions naturally have low a biodiversity due to the harsh environment. The term biodiversity was coined in 1985. We provide detailed revision materials for A-Level Biology students and teachers. An example of a keystone species is a shark. means having as wide a range of different species in an ecosystem as possible. Productive use: Ø Products commercially harvested from biodiversity for exchange in market. Biology II. Why not? Even knowledge of taxonomic diversity, the best known dimension of biodiversity, is incomplete and strongly biased toward the species level, megafauna, temperate systems, and components used by people. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. Also, it boosts the productivity of ecosystems because each organism has a specific job.. A bunch of different organisms all having different abilities is more effective than having a group of identical organisms wandering around and only having the ability to do one job. Understanding how biodiversity evolved and is evolving on Earth and how to correctly use and interpret biodiversity data is important for all students interested in conservation biology and ecology, whether they pursue careers in academia or as policy makers and other professionals (students graduating from our programs do both). Genetic engineering involves the transfer of genes from one organism to (usually) an unrelated species. It covers the whole of Topic 3 which is Classification and Biodiversity. Without biodiversity, life would not sustain. It is important in natural as well as artificial ecosystems. That would be ridiculous. Proteins are the most abundant organic molecules present on earth. Productive use (2). Genetic diversity is the variety of genes within a species. 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