Sts Mod 11 Final

Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:IM-GE STS-1ST SEM-2020-2021
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Bayombong Campus
DEGREE PROGRAM CAS/BSAB/ COURSE NO. GE STS

BSCE/BAS/BSAF
/BSFish
SPECIALIZATION COURSE TITLE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY
YEAR LEVEL 1&2 TIME FRAME 3 HOURS WK NO. 14 IM NO. 11
I. UNIT TITLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Chapter III – SPECIFIC ISSUES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND
SOCIETY
II. LESSON TITLE: Lesson 2 – Biodiversity and The Healthy Society
III. LESSON OVERVIEW

Decrease in biodiversity is eminent worldwide. Vertebrates fell to 60% from the 1970s due to human
causes. It is projected that by 2020, wildlife decline will be 67% of the present number. Humans have
industrialized the natural habitat of wildlife as well as marine life. Leaving these creatures with no place
to live would eventually cause their deaths. The disappearance of species in a certain environment
causes an imbalance in the ecosystem, producing more chaotic changes that harm the entire
ecosystem (inquirer.net, 2016)
There is a growing importance of studying how society, environment, and health are interrelated to
each other, that if human beings fail to recognize the need of one of those components, the remaining
components can be affected and compromised. Thus, it is timely to know about the pressing effects of
species being extinct and that of our ecosystem, being imbalanced.
Biodiversity and Healthy Society
NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 1 of 9

IV. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson students should be able to:
1.determine the interrelatedness of society, environment and health
2. create a diagram that would show the interrelatedness of species in forming up a diverse and healthy
society without compromising one another; and
3. identify everyday tasks and evaluate whether they contribute to the wellness and health of
biodiversity and society or not
V. LESSON CONTENT: Lesson 2
2.1. Biodiversity and Ecosystem
2.2. Changes in Biodiversity
2.3. Threats to Biodiversity
2.4. Consequences of Biodiversity Loss
2.5. Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity
2.6. Health, Biology and Biodiversity
2.7. Environment-Related Illnesses
VI. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
 The term “Biodiversity” was first coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986. According to International
Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Sciences (IUCN-NR) in 1998, biodiversity is “the
variety and variability of species of their population, the variety of species of their life forms, the
diversity of the complex association with species
with their interaction and their ecological process You could watch a video on biodiversity to
which influences perform.” understand it better via said link:
 Decrease in biodiversity is well-known worldwide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Vertebrates fell to 60% from the 1970s due to v=GK_vRtHJZu4
human causes. It is anticipated that by 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
wildlife decline will be 67% of the present v=Z5clNWbRp6I
number.
 Moreover, the
disappearance of
species in a certain
environment causes an
imbalance in the
ecosystem, producing
more chaotic changes
that harm the entire
ecosystem
(Inquirer.net,2016).
 There is a growing
importance studying
how society,
environment, and
health is interrelated to
each other, that if
human beings fail to
recognize the needs of
one of those
components, the other
remaining components
can be affected and
compromised.
 Thus, it is timely to
know about the
pressing effects of
species being extinct and that of our ecosystem being imbalanced.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/497718196310404361/
Biodiversity and Ecosystem

• Biodiversity is defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth. It encompasses all
kinds of life forms, from single-celled organisms to the largest multi-celled organisms. Its definition is in
the structural and functional perspective and not as individual species.
• Another definition of biodiversity is “the variability among living organisms from all sources,
including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they
are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/644233468754001922
•Biodiversity is the source of the essential goods and ecological services that constitute the source of life
for all and it has direct consumptive value in food, agriculture, medicine, and in industry.” (Villaggio
Globale, 2009)
•Understanding biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem need thorough study on the relationship of
the biotic, the living organisms and the abiotic, nonliving organisms.
•Interdisciplinary approach is needed to study the ecosystem biodiversity plays a major role in this
natural dynamics. For example, a large number of golden snails in a certain area of rice field can help
predict a low production of rice harvest, since eggs of the golden snails are considered pest for rice
plant.
•On a positive view, the larger number of different species in a certain area can be a predictor of
sustainable life in that area. Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better survival rate against any
natural disaster. Therefore, we, as human inhabitants of the ecosystem, must preserve and conserve
the biodiversity of all creatures.
•In simpler terms, it is true that people will always depend on biodiversity on the wholeness of our being
and in our everyday lives. More so, our health will ultimately depend upon the products and services
that we acquire from the ecosystem.

•Somehow, there are ways and processes in the ecosystem
that are not apparent nor appreciated by us, human beings.
Think about the need to drink clean and fresh water, the need
to eat healthy vegetables and food, or the need of man to
transport which makes him rely on fuel. All of these are
human needs that are answered and provided by our
ecosystem. Thus, if we fail to keep the process of taking care
of the ecosystem, it is us who are actually putting our lives at
risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ACfPVA-EE8
• Significant decline in biodiversity has direct human impact when ecosystem in its insufficiency
can no longer provide the physical as well as social needs of human beings.
• Indirectly, changes in the ecosystem affect livelihood, income, and on occasion, may even
cause political conflict (WHO, n.d.).
https://austincriss.wordpress.com/
https://planningtank.com/blog/sustainable-development-goals-assam-2030-in-light-of-sdgs
Changes in Biodiversity
• Alteration in any system could bring varied effects. A change in biodiversity could have
unpredictable effects not only in wildlife or marine
life but also in human beings.
o For example, humans living the forest would
disturb the natural order of life.
▪ Trees and plants would be affected in
the land-clearing operations where the
houses would be built.
▪ The animals, insects, and all types of life
forms in the cleared area would either be
displaced or most likely be killed.
▪ The loss of these life forms could affect
the entire ecosystem governing that
environment. The food chain might be
damaged.
https://biodiversity1.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/hello-world/
▪ From this, we can clearly infer that when our ecosystem is not well taken care of, biodiversity
encounters changes that may impact human health on such different levels.
Threats to Biodiversity

There are major threats to biodiversity that were identified by the United Nations'
Environment Program (WHO, n.d.). These are the following:
1. Habitat loss and destruction. Major contributing

factor is the inhabitation of human beings and
the use of land for economic gains.
2. Alterations in ecosystem composition.
Alterations and sudden changes, either within
species groups or within the environment, could
begin to damage the entire ecosystems.
Alterations in ecosystems are a critical factor
contributing to species and habitat loss.
3. Over-exploration. Over-hunting, overfishing, or
over-collecting of species can quickly lead to its
decline. Changing consumption patterns of
humans is often cited as the key reason for this
unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
224856495_Conservation_science_a_20year_report_card/
figures?lo=1
4. Pollution and contamination. Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their surrounding
environment. Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to species and varieties.
5. Global climate change. Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss. Species
and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough time to adapt to
changing climatic conditions
Consequences of Biodiversity Loss
• Even with the development of technology and science at present, we still have a lot to
learn about biodiversity, more so about the consequences of biodiversity loss. However, the
basic concept about biodiversity loss was from Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.
• Every species in the ecosystems has significant roles, functions, or niches that are
specialized to capture, transfer, utilize and, ultimately, lose both energy and nutrients.
Disturbing their distributions will surely affect its nutrient cycles and soil contents, and
influence environmental conditions such as water cycles, weather patterns, climate, and other
abiotic aspects.
https://rewildingeurope.com/rewilding-in-action/wildlife-comeback/other-species/

• The loss of biodiversity has many consequences that we understand and many that we do not.
It is apparent that humankind is willing to sustain a great deal at biodiversity loss if there are
concomitant benefits to society; we hope they are net benefits.
• In many cases, the benefits seem to accrue to a few individuals only, with net societal loss.
However, it is extremely difficult to estimate the future costs of losses in biodiversity or of
environmental damage (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 2017).
• As stated by Tilman. "The Earth will retain its most striking feature, its biodiversity only if
humans have the foresight to do so. This will occur, it seems, only if we realize the extent to
which we use biodiversity (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 2017)."
http://www.becomewide.com/why-birds-matter-birdwatch-the-startup-saving-the-world-biodiversity/
Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity
• According to the World Health Organization, biodiversity is a vital element of a human being's
nutrition because of its influence to food production. Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to
sustainable food production for human beings. A society or a population must have access to a
sufficient variety of nutritious food as it is a determinant of their health as human beings.
https://www.scitechnol.com/ArchiveJBMF/currentissue-biodiversity-management-forestry.php
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2011/biodiversity_health/
• Nutrition and biodiversity are linked at many levels:

o the ecosystem, with food production as an ecosystem service;
o the species in the ecosystem; and,
o the genetic diversity within species.
• Nutritional composition between foods and among varieties/cultivars/breeds of the same food
can differ dramatically, affecting micronutrient availability in the diet.

• Healthy local diets, with adequate average levels of nutrients intake, necessitates maintenance
of high biodiversity levels. Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer,
plant protection (pesticides), or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect
biodiversity and thus impact global nutritional status and human health (WHO, 2007).
https://foodtank.com/news/2017/12/tucsons-edible-biodiversity/food-tank-tusconbiodiversity/
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/113740/icode
Health, Biology, and Biodiversity
• Almost all living organisms are
dependent to their environment to live and
reproduce. Basic needs of living organisms such as
air, water, food, and habitat are provided by its
environment.
• The evolution of human beings was due to the

improved access to these basic needs. Advances
in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment,
and hygiene have had a far greater impact on
human health than medical technology.
https://cvm.ncsu.edu/one-health-one-medicine-
research-at-the-nc-state-college-of-veterinary-medicine/
• Although the environment sustains human life, it can also cause diseases. Lack of basic necessities is a
significant cause of human mortality.
• Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses.
These hazards can be physical, such as pollution, chemicals and contaminants or they can be social,
such as dangerous work, poor housing conditions urban sprawl, and poverty. Unsafe drinking water and
poor sanitation and hygiene are responsible for a variety of infectious diseases, such as
schistosomiasis, diarrhea, cholera, meningitis, and gastritis. In 2015, approximately 350,000 children
under the age of live (mostly in the developing world) died from diarrheal diseases related to unsafe
drinking water, and approximately 1.8 billion people used drinking water contaminated with feces. More
than two billion people lacked access to basic sanitation.
• The interrelation between human health and biological diversity in considerable and complex. With the
current biodiversity loss at unprecedented rates, the delicate balance between human health and
biological diversity is at risk.
• Interestingly, according to experts, climate change could also have a serious impact on human health and
could deteriorate farming systems and reduce nutrients in some foods. In this case, biodiversity increases
resilience, thus helping adjust to new environmental conditions.
• Safeguarding of coral reefs, for instance, is essential to reduce the risk of floods, as this extraordinary
ecosystem can reduce wave energy by 97%, thus protecting over 100 million people all over the world.
• Relationships between human health and the environment raise many ethical, social, and legal
dilemmas by forcing people to choose among competing values. Many of the issues at the intersection
of health and the environment have to do with managing benefits and risks.

http://www.youthrainbow.com/science/transgenic
-plants -public-concerns -future
https://ecommercejobs.com/2016/03/austin-ecommerce-jobs-alen-corp-seeks-an-ecommerce-manager-austin-
tx-78758.html
http://timinphuket.blogspot.com/2016/04/protect-coral-reefs.html
• For example, pesticides play an

important role in increasing crop
yields, but they can also pose hazards
to human health and the environment.
Alternatives to pesticide use create
trade-offs in health.
• The extreme action of stopping all

pesticide uses could significantly
reduce agricultural productivity.
leading to food shortages and
increased food prices which would, in
turn, increase starvation in some parts
of the world.
https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/news/66323/efsa-pesticides-assessments/
• Public health authorities have opted to regulate the use of pesticides to enhance food production while
minimizing damage to the environment and human health. Energy production and use help sustain
human life, but it can also pose hazards to human health and the environment, such as air and water
pollution, oil spills, and destruction of habitats (Rensik & Portier, 2017).
https://juicing-for-health.com/breakdown-pesticides-in-body
• Human rights issues also come up with research on environmental health that involves human subjects.
For such research to be ethical, human subjects must give consent, and great care must be taken to
ensure that they understand that they can opt out of the research project.
o Since the late 1990s, some pesticide companies have tested their products on human subjects to
gather data to submit to the government for regulatory purposes.
o Some commentators charge that these experiments are unethical because they place people at
unacceptably high risk without a clear benefit to society.
o Others have argued that the experiments, if properly designed and implemented, could produce
important benefits to society by providing useful knowledge about the effects of pesticides that
lead to stronger regulations (Rensik & Portier, 2017).
VII. ASSIGNMENT
A. Make a slogan (either in English or Tagalog)/ poster or any creative work that shows how could
you protect biodiversity/ showing ways on how to promote safekeeping our biodiversity. Take a
picture of it and submit via email/google class. (20 points)
B. What innovative product(s) would you suggest to our government in preserving and conserving
the populations of many endangered species? (5 points)
VIII. EVALUATION
1. How would you reconcile the emerging needs of human beings regarding their health and the
need to protect the growth of biodiversity? (5 points)
2. Do you think that Earth can exist without human beings taking care of it? Or biodiversity also
needs human beings for it to be in a continuous growing process? (5 points)
3. Create a diagram/ infographic (chart/concept map etc.) that shows the interrelatedness living
society and biodiversity (10 points)
4. What strategic policy(-ies) would you like to introduce to your community in order to take good
care of our environment? (5 points)
REFERENCES
Serafica, Janice Patria et.al. (2017) Science, Technology and Society. Rex Printing Company Inc.
Quezon City
https://fabiusmaximus.com/2014/06/19/climate-change-biodiversity-69241/
http://weeabettor97.blogspot.com/2011/12/coral-reef.html
https://globalhealth.duke.edu/events/biodiversity-good-human-health
Prepared by:
STS Instructors/Professors from the CAS – Natural Sciences Department

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Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

DEGREE PROGRAM CAS/BSAB/ COURSE NO. GE STS

II. LESSON TITLE: Lesson 2 – Biodiversity and The Healthy Society

III. LESSON OVERVIEW

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 1 of 9

IV. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 2 of 9

Biodiversity and Ecosystem

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 3 of 9

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 4 of 9

1. Habitat loss and destruction. Major contributing

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 5 of 9

• Nutrition and biodiversity are linked at many levels:

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 6 of 9

• The evolution of human beings was due to the

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 7 of 9

• For example, pesticides play an

• The extreme action of stopping all

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