Biodiversity and Biotechnology

Introduction to Biodiversity
What is your initial
understanding of the word
"BIODIVERSITY"?

How is it important to you?

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click this
your name/initial

your opinion
Biodiversity, also called biological
diversity, the variety of life found in a
place on Earth or, often, the total
variety of life on Earth. A common
measure of this variety, called
species richness, is the count of
species in an area.

A sampling of fungi collected during summer 2008 in

Northern Saskatchewan mixed woods, near LaRonge,
is an example regarding the species diversity of fungi.
In this photo, there are also leaf lichens and mosses.
 Carolus Linnaeus (1707- 1778)

•Swedish botanist
•Systema Naturae: a classification
scheme that used morphology to
group organisms into hierarchical
categories

Taxonomy is the scientific study of naming, defining and classifying

groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics.
Introduction to Biodiversity
Taxonomy: the classifying of organisms based on morphology and
genetics.

This illustration by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction to Biodiversity
The broadest, most inclusive, taxonomic category is the
Domain.
All living things can be categorized into one of three Domains:
● Bacteria
● Archaea
● Eukarya

This illustration by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction to Biodiversity
Domain Archaea
● Microscopic, unicellular prokaryotes
● Superficially similar to bacteria, but significant genetic
differences exist
● Many archaea are extremophiles
Introduction to Biodiversity
Domain Bacteria
● Microscopic, unicellular prokaryotes
● Some species are autotrophs, while others are heterotrophs

This figure by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction to Biodiversity
Domain Eukarya
● Includes unicellular and multicellular organisms that all
have eukaryotic cells
● Includes the plant, animal, fungus kingdoms
● Also includes the protists, a highly diverse group of
organisms that includes algae, slime molds, and much more
Introduction to Biodiversity

Types of biodiversity:
● Genetic diversity
● Species diversity
● Ecosystem diversity
Origin of Biodiversity
Why does so much biodiversity exist of Earth?

This Photo by
Amanda, Jonathan
& Hannes Grober
is licensed under
CC BY-SA
Origin of Biodiversity
Evolution, by the mechanism of natural selection, provides a
logical explanation for how populations change over time
● Ultimately, this change can lead to the creation of new
species
● Life has been evolving for billions of years on Earth
○ That’s a really long time!
Origin of Biodiversity
Evolutionary theory was co-discovered by Charles Darwin and
Alfred Wallace, working separately.
Both traveled the world extensively, making observations and
collecting specimens that helped them formulate their theories

These photos are public domain, CCO

Origin of Biodiversity
● Both Darwin and Wallace recognized natural selection as a
mechanism by which populations can evolve over time.
● Natural selection relies on variation of traits in a population
● With this variation, individuals with traits better suited to
their environment are more likely to survive, reproduce,
and pass on those traits to future generations.
● Over time, beneficial traits become more common,
maladaptive traits become less common.
Biodiversity and Extinction
Change in Biodiversity through Time

This figure by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Biodiversity and Extinction
Background extinction rate

● Based on the fossil record

● Estimated to be about 1 per million species years

The problem: current extinction rates are several times

higher than the background rate
Biodiversity and Extinction
This photo is public domain and licensed under CCO

Extinction rates are currently so

high that biologist argue that we’re
currently experiencing the 6th Mass
Extinction

Most extinctions are due to

anthropogenic causes
● That’s pretty messed up.

This photo by Ed Uthmanr taken at the Natural History

Museum, London, England is licensed under CC BY.
 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the
Convention on Biological Diversity

Preserving
Biodiversity
Preserving
Biodiversity
Preserving
Biodiversity
Introduction to Biotechnology
 Inquiry

1. Provide three potential benefits and drawbacks of

genetically modified organisms (GMO).
2. What benefit does golden rice provide?
3. What is a transgene?
4. Which organism is most often used in GM?
 Inquiry
5. Dog breeds are an example of (Explain why or how).
A) Artificial selection
B) Natural selection
C) Genetic modification
Horrors of GMO?
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

Biotechnology is a broad area of biology, involving the use of

living systems and organisms to develop or make products.

Genetic engineering (also called genetic modification), is the direct

manipulation of an organism’s genome to alter the genetic makeup
of an organism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIM38NlkWEo
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

A transgene is a gene that has been transferred naturally, or by any of

a number of genetic engineering techniques, from one organism to
another.

GMO
genetically modified organism: an organism or microorganism whose
genetic material has been altered by means of genetic engineering.
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering
● Humans have modified crops and animals for
thousands of years using traditional breeding practices
● Most livestock, crops, and pets were developed by
genetically modifying the traits of wild species

○ These modified organisms no longer resemble their

wild ancestors
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

Man has been

manipulating DNA in
plants and animals
for millennia.
 Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering
Maize was developed
from a wild species
called teosinte
beginning about 8,000
years ago.

Video: “Popped Secret: the Mysterious

Origin of Corn” by HHMI Biointeractive

This work” by Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation is in the Public Domain, CC0.
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

FDA graphic by Michael J. Ermarth (Methods of Plant Breeding) [CC0 Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

FDA graphic by Michael J. Ermarth (Methods of Plant Breeding) [CC0 Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering
Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

Suntory "blue" rose

Some genetically modified foods

Starlink corn
Some genetically modified foods

AquAdvantage salmon
Common GM Foods
Products
• Corn
• Canola
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Squash
• Soybeans
• Flax
• Cottonseed oil
• Sugarbeets
Common GM Foods

Experts say 60% to 70% of processed foods on U.S. grocery

shelves have genetically modified ingredients.
GMO Crop Traits
• Herbicide tolerance - crop can withstand herbicide applications
• Insect tolerance - plant produces toxin to kill pest
• Improved nutrition – plant produces a substance of nutritive
value or is changed to not produce an antinutrient
• Disease resistant – crop is resistant to certain disease
• Stress Tolerance – crop is tolerant of stress, low nutrient levels
or excess nutrients
• Increased Storage – crop can be stored longer to avoid spoilage
losses
• Medicinal uses – crops that produce medicines or vaccines
• Industrial uses – crops to make more efficient industries
Benefits of Genetic Engineering
● Enhanced nutrition
● Increased food supply
(cheaper production cost)
● Increased pest and disease resistance
(reduced pesticides)
● Grow food in harsh climate
● Make drugs
This Photo by International Rice Research Institute is licensed under CC BY
Potential Concerns of Genetic Engineering
● Consumers Right to Choose
● Intellectual Property Rights
● Introducing allergens and toxins to
food (human health risk)
● Accidental cross pollination
● Creation of "super" weeds and other
long-term Ecological risks
Scientific Consensus on GE Crops
This graphic is licensed CC0 Public Domain.

Extensive 2016 report by US National Academies of Sciences,

Engineering & Medicine (NASEM)
Titled “Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences & Prospects”
■ Reviewed more than 900 research articles
■ No evidence of ecological harm from genetic transfer to wild
species
■ No evidence of harm to human health compared to
traditionally-breed crops.
 Take your QUIZ now.
This meeting will end at exactly 4:00PM.