Module 3

Biodiversity and Evolution

Definition of Terms:

Biodiversity- short for biological diversity, is the term used to describe the variety of life found
on Earth and all of the natural processes. This includes ecosystem, genetic and cultural diversity,
and the connections between these and all species.
Population-a group of living things within a certain area that are all of the same species
Species- a group of organisms that have certain characteristics in common and are able to
interbreed.
Species diversity is described as the number of species in a community. The more species, the
higher the diversity.
Population Density- number of individuals per unit area.
Density = number of individuals ÷size of area
Limiting Factors-environmental conditions that keep a population from increasing in size and
help balance ecosystems
Ex. Availability of food, water and living conditions; light, temperature
and soil nutrients
Carrying capacity-maximum population size an environment can support. If the population
size rises above the carrying capacity, organisms die because they cannot meet all their needs. It
is affected by changes in the environment.
Endangered species- when a species population becomes so low that only a few remain.
Ex. Tamaraw in Mindoro, mouse deer in Palawan, Philippine deer, Monkey-eating eagle
and aquatic species like the dugong found in Negros, Batangas and Leyte
Threatened- species that are close to being endangered.
Extinction- the disappearance of a species when the last of its members dies.
Human actions have resulted in habitat loss and degradation that has accelerated the rate
of extinction.
Examples of extinct animals:
Asian elephant, tiger, Philippine rhinoceros, Cebu warty pig, platypus
Ecosystem- to the variation of organism living in a specific area.
- a community which is made up of living organisms and non-living components
such as air, water and mineral soil.
Deforestation-rapid rate at which trees are cut down.
Major Causes:
 Kaingin farming
 Illegal logging
 Conversion of agricultural land to housting projects
 Forest fires
 Typhoons
 As a consequence of cutting down trees, the following effects could take place:
 Soil erosion
 Floods
 Decrease in wildlife resources that will eventually lead to
extinction
.
Eutrophication-the process by which the body of water becomes enriched with dissolved
nutrients (such as phosphate) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant resulting to depletion of
dissolved oxygen.
Global warming-the increase in the earth’s atmosphere from the rapid buildup of carbon dioxide
and other gases.
Greenhouse effect- the trapping of heat by the gases in the earth’s atmosphere
Wildlife Depletion-disappearance of wild life species.
Coral reef destruction is caused by dynamite fishing and muro-ami while mangrove
destruction is caused by overharvesting and conversion of the area into other uses.