Chapter 3.

1 - Biodiversity and
Conservation
Biodiversity: quantifiable version of nature which helps policy-makers in suggesting them
3 different types of biodiversity: Genetic diversity, species diversity and habitat diversity

Species diversity: communities is a product of two variables - no. of species and relative

proportions

Genetic diversity: range of genetic material present in a gene pool and the amount of
variation that exists between different individuals within different populations of a

species. Therefore to conserve the maximum amount of genetic diversity, different

populations of species need to be conserved
◦ Human can alter genetic diversity by artificially breeding or genetically engineering
populations
◦ Genetic variation = good thing, according to many conservationists
Habitat diversity: range of different habitats per unit area in a particular ecosystem or
biome Habitat with high biodiversity

Advantages Disadvantages

could be a result of fragmentation of habitat

resilience and stability genetic diversity managing grazing can be difficult - tolerance
some plants will have deep roots so they is different between plant species
can cycle nutrients

Hotspots: region with high level of biodiversity that is under threat from human activities
▪ include ten in tropical rainforests
▪ near to tropics - fewer limiting factors in lower latitudes
▪ cover only 2.3% land surface
▪ threatened areas where 70% of the habitat is lost
▪ tend to have large human habitations nearby
▪ contains more than 1,500 plant species that are already endemic
Examples: Hawaii, Iceland, yellowstone places, coral reefs, mangroves (hotspots of the
ocean)
Tropical rainforests are vulnerable because:
▪ upsetting equilibrium due to deforestation
▪ flows of nutrients has imbalanced (very few nutrients are present in the soil, they’re mainly
in living material/biomass)
Ex: palm oil extraction in Indonesia
Tropical Rainforests are hotspots (something that has a small area but high biodiversity):
6% of land occupied (originally it was 14% 40 years ago, now it is at 6%)
- Lungs of Earth
- Traps water with roots from trees (adds to system energy)
- Controls the weather (Amazon Rainforest)
Case Study: Eco-logging companies (FSCs - Forest Stewardship Council) → Northern
region of Congo