Buensuceso, Jezzy Rae M.

Mayo, Ma. Kathleen Alana V.

Biodiversity

 contracted version of "biological

diversity”
 referred to as the variety of life on
Earth and its biological diversity
 measure of the relative diversity
among organisms present in
different ecosystems
Biodiversity

 the product of evolution which

started around 4 billion years ago
 around the Equator is greatest
 colder countries have fewer species
than tropical countries
Types of Biodiversity

 species diversity
 refers to the variety of different living
things
 Genetic diversity
 it refers to the variations between
individuals of a species
 ecosystem diversity
 refers to the great variety of
environments produced by the interplay
of the living and non-living world
Original Diversity on
Earth
 Earth is gifted with around 1.4 million
living species of all kinds of
organisms
 approximately 750,000 of which are
insects
 41,000 are vertebrates
 250,000 are plants
 remainder consists of a complex array of
invertebrates, fungi, algae, and
microorganisms
Current diversity on
Earth
 Currently, new species are being
identified at the rate of around
13,000 a year, while at the same
time 3,000 species each year are
found to be synonyms of other
species, which creates a net addition
of roughly 10,000 species per year
 Recent estimates show that the total
species here on earth lie in the range
5 to 15 million
Current diversity on
Earth
 only about 1.75 million species have
been formally described and given
official names
Importance of
Biodiversity
 Generation of soils and maintenance
of soil quality
 Maintenance of air quality
 Maintenance of water quality
 Pest control
 Detoxification and decomposition of
wastes
 Pollination and crop production
Importance of
Biodiversity
 Climate stabilization
 Prevention and mitigation of natural
disasters
 Provision of food security
 Provision of health care
 Income generation
 Spiritual / cultural value
Factors leading to
diversity of species
 Patterns of resource use- species which
compete with each other can still have a stable
coexistence if they have adequately different
functions in an ecosystem or patterns of resource
use

 Means of distraction- do not only interrupt

the competitive marginalization between species,
but they vigorously preserve the diversity of
species as well
 Reduced opportunity for competition-
environments that are rich in species are mostly
distinguished by stress-tolerant organisms
adapted to a habitat that has a frequently low
supply of nutrients
Factors leading to
diversity of species
 Productivity- accessibility of energy and
resources is believed to limit the number of
coexisting species in an environment
 Particular herbivores and
microorganisms- Organisms such as
parasites, pathogens, and predators that are
particular to host species are believed to be
effective in improving species diversity
 Environmental account/history- factors
such as the depleted tree diversity of mild and
boreal forests are sometimes perceived as an
effect of the short period since the withdrawal
of the previous glacier
Biodiversity in the
Philippines
 928 total species

 500 (or 57% of the total number of

species) are found only in the
Philippines
 The Philippines is one of the most
diverse countries
Biodiversity in the
Philippines
 Factors that influence the
biodiversity in the Philippines:
1) Ice-age history: was believed to have a
huge impact on the distribution of unique
species in the country such as the tarsiers,
flying lemurs, and pygmy squirrels
2) numerous habitats: lowland forests,
montane forests, and mossy forests
Biodiversity Loss

 Population growth
 Unfamiliarity with certain species
and ecosystems
 Ineffective environmental policies
 Consequences of global trading
systems
 Underestimating the worth of
biodiversity
Preserving Biodiversity

 Controlling the population- does not

refer to only human population, but to species
population in general

 Awareness of the existence of

certain species and ecosystems
 Efficient environmental policies
 Conservation of certain goods
Conclusion

 Although the strategies that were

mentioned could help in the
preservation of biodiversity, there is
one thing that everybody can do: to
become aware of the existing issue
regarding biodiversity loss. By doing
this, other solutions and strategies
would definitely follow and come out
naturally.