BIODIVERSITY

Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this topic, you should be able to:

• Determine the interrelatedness of biodiversity, environment, and health

The activity is not to be submitted but for your own consumption in order to gain understanding of the
topic.

Checkpoint 1

• All living things exist in balance with other living things and physical factor.
-Unknown

Bio diversity

Look at the word “biodiversity”. It’s actually two words combined together. Breakdown the meaning
of the two words in biodiversity.
Bio
means____________________________________________________________________________

Diversity
means____________________________________________________________________________

Now, combine the two words and try to come up with your own definition of biodiversity:
Biodiversity means
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Let us compare your definition with the following definitions provided:

Biodiversity is defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire earth which includes the
simplest unicellular organism to the most complex multicellular organism. (Serafico, 2018). Another
definition of biodiversity is the variability of organisms including species thriving in different
ecosystems like marine, freshwater or any aquatic and terrestrial and the ecological complexes of which
they are part; this includes diversity between, within and of ecosystems. (Villago Globale, 2009).
Biodiversity comprises abiotic and biotic factors. Several biomes have diverse characteristics in terms
of their abiotic factors that dictate the biotic factors that thrives on it. The aquatic biome can be divided
into two, the freshwater biome and the marine biome. The freshwater biome includes ponds and lakes,
streams and rivers, and wetlands. It is usually less than one (1 % ) of the earth’s resources. Marine
regions include oceans, coral reefs and estuaries. It comprises about three fourths of the earth’s surface.
Terrestrial biomes include deserts, forest, grasslands, and tundra.
 After you are done defining biodiversity, take a walk around your house and note of the
different organisms present as well as the characteristics of their habitat. Write your answers on
Table 1.
Don’t forget to enumerate the organisms and their corresponding density. Synthesize data into any
graphical presentation that you can illustrate in Figure 1.

Now that you have shared your knowledge of local biodiversity, it’s time to think about biodiversity on
a bigger scale. Research on the biodiversity of the country as well as the global scale and illustrate them
using the same graphical representation that you have used in your local biodiversity on figures 2 and 3.

Here are some guide questions to think about while doing the activity.
1. What do you think scientists expect as they discover more species?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do you think these organisms would thrive more as the time passes by?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What patterns have your observed from the graphs you have drawn?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Table 1. Local Biodiversity of ____________________________________________

Species Taxon Representative Species Population Count Type of Environment

Figure 1. ______________ showing the biodiversity Figure 2. _____________ showing
of _______________________________ the biodiversity of the Philippines

Figure 3. ________________ showing the biodiversity of the World

 Read and Learn

Your answer in the above questions actually explains that biotic factors (living things) are related to the abiotic
factors (non-living things). For example, your answer is an increase in the population of rats in a rice field or
decrease in the number of dragonflies in the area; therefore, there must be changes in the environment. Thus, a
change in the environment can cause a change in the biodiversity. And a change in the biodiversity could have
erratic effects in not only in wildlife and marine but also in human beings

Life here on Earth is affected by changes in the environment. Life represented by the various species face
threats every day that leads to evolution and gene modification. There are major threats to biodiversity that
were identified by the United Nations’ Environment Programme (WHO,n.d.). These threats
include habitat loss and destruction, alterations in ecosystem composition, over-exploitation, pollution and
contamination and global climate change.

Given those threats to biodiversity, different aspects in the society, health, biology and environment are at risk.
Researchers have been discovering new ways to improve crop production, address health illness and decrease
biodiversity loss.

We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to
understand what it means to humanity.
E.O. Wilson

BIG IDEA:
Together let us make a stand in protecting the nature, in this way we can protect our
children's future.
-Unknown

Task #16: I-Pledge

Name: ___________________ Deadline: 1/14/21

Course, Year & Section_________________
Advocacy Writing

Individually, brainstorm and in not more than 5 sentences, come up with an advocacy on the need to reconcile
the emerging needs of human beings and the need to protect the growth of biodiversity. Submit your answer to
your group leader or anyone who can consolidate all answers, then submit it as a group paper. Indicate with
names of members with their corresponding advocacy.