the population of the species falls below a critical level; Biodiversity. Why not? These three levels work together to create the complexity of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. The number of animals living on the Earth has plunged by half since 1970. Genetic diversity. * Biodiversity also refers to number of different species living in a particular region. For economic and various life support reasons, it is very important to protect and preserve biodiversity. Biodiversity is often a topic used in A level biology to introduce ecology, providing ample opportunities to undertake practical investigations, compile results which can be analysed using species diversity index and subsequently interpreted to compare particular habitats. This is a fully editable PowerPoint presentation designed specifically for the new Edexcel A Level Biology B Specification for first teaching in 2015. They are present abundantly in every living cell. Biologists estimate that species extinctions are currently 500–1000 times the normal, or background, rate seen previously in Earth’s history. That would be ridiculous. 20.1) Biotechnology and genetic engineering Biotechnology is the application of biological organisms, systems or processes to manufacturing and service industries. Module 23: Ecology. Proteins are the polymers made up of thousands of amino acids linked via peptide bonds. Biodiversity describes the richness and variety of life on earth. Also, it boosts the productivity of ecosystems because each organism has a specific job.. A bunch of different organisms all having different abilities is more effective than having a group of identical organisms wandering around and only having the ability to do one job. This A-Level Biology section of Revision Science explains biodiversity classification including examples. What is biodiversity? So you want to study biology…Duh! Long chains of amino acids known as polypeptides fold around themselves in several ways to form complex structures called proteins. Human activities like changing land use, deforestation and peat bog destruction reduce this. Please update your bookmarks accordingly. It covers the whole of Topic 3 which is Classification and Biodiversity. There are three levels of biodiversity: 1. Even knowledge of taxonomic diversity, the best known dimension of biodiversity, is incomplete and strongly biased toward the species level, megafauna, temperate systems, and components used by people. ‘Biodiversity’ comes from two words: ‘biological’, which means relating to biology or living organisms, and ‘diversity’, meaning a range of different things or variety. Biodiversity is a broad term for biological variety, and it can be measured at a number of organizational levels. Genetic diversity: It refers to the variation in gene within a species. Traditionally, ecologists have measured biodiversity by taking into account both the number of species and the number of individuals in each of those species. Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Diversity in marine habitats Where is biodiversity highest and lowest? Biodiversity is also considered by many to have intrinsic value—that is, each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known to have value to humans. Biodiversity, also called biological diversity, the variety of life found in a place on Earth or, often, the total variety of life on Earth. Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. Genetic engineering involves the transfer of genes from one organism to (usually) an unrelated species. I would aim to include the following: 1. means having as wide a range of different species in an ecosystem as possible. Biodiversity is variation at … A-Level Biology does pretty much what it says on the tin. That’s why an ecosystem that’s losing biodiversity only declines slowly at first. Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms that exist on the earth, their interrelationships as well as their relationship with the environment. The cell cycle including G1 (in which some organelles are replicated), S phase (in which DNA is replicated) and G2 then mitosis. Biodiversity is increased by genetic change and evolutionary processes and reduced by habitat destruction, population decline and extinction. Without biodiversity, all humans would basically be clones of each other. Biodiversity. Documenting spatial patterns in biodiversity is difficult because taxonomic, functional, trophic, genetic, and other dimensions of biodiversity have been relatively poorly quantified. We provide detailed revision materials for A-Level Biology students and teachers. An example would be certain types of moss since they can indicate the level of nutrition in the soil and the acidity. Search for: The Importance of Biodiversity to Human Life. Over 22,000 learners have used our materials to pass their exams. It can be the cause of various grave problems like pollution, habitat loss, resource exploitation, climate change, species extinction, disease outbreak, and so on. Why Biodiversity is Essential for Sustainable Development. We value biodiversity for many reasons, some utilitarian, some intrinsic. Altogether, the food, commercial forestry and ecotourism industries could lose US$ 338 billion per year if the loss of biodiversity continues at its current pace. The more biodiversity, the stronger the ecosystem, the better it functions, and the better it can adapt to changes. But when it loses too much, it hits a tipping point and falls off a cliff. Indirect use (1). Cycles occur all over biology and this is a good example of a question where you should be able to mention an extensive range of subjects. Having a low biodiversity isn’t necessarily an issue. A common measure of this variety, called species richness, is the count of species in an area. It … Understanding how biodiversity evolved and is evolving on Earth and how to correctly use and interpret biodiversity data is important for all students interested in conservation biology and ecology, whether they pursue careers in academia or as policy makers and other professionals (students graduating from our programs do both). An indicator species is a species that serves as a measure to the abiotic and biotic factors of the ecosystem. Ø Uses related to biodiversity can be grouped into three categories: (1). Biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives. Both species diversity and genetic diversity are important within a habitat, because they make it more likely that the habitat can adapt successfully to changing conditions. For example deserts and arctic regions naturally have low a biodiversity due to the harsh environment. The natural disaster prevention mechanisms in most ecosystems and other free services we all get from the surrounding environment are not easily replaceable or replicable, so maintaining biodiversity is important. 5.3 Importance of Biodiversity The Biodiversity Crisis. Biology II. Read first: Gaston, K.J. The number of tigers has plunged by 97% in the last century. This means we value biodiversity both for what it provides to humans, and for the value it has in its own right. Consumptive use (3). There is a growing recognition that the level of biodiversity is an important factor in influencing the resilience of ecosystems to disturbance. Best CBD Oil for Anxiety At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. This of it like this. Productive use (2). Discusses the benefits of biodiversity. An example of a keystone species is a shark. So really, the important shift here is to stop thinking of the planet as a physical system but as a linked biological and physical system. In fact, I consider it as the science of the 21st century. The current high rates will cause a precipitous decline in the biodiversity of the planet in the next century or two. It enables the population to adapt to its environment and respond to natural selection. Genetic diversity is the variety of genes within a species. Uses of biodiversity: Ø Biodiversity, besides its ecological significance, provides a socio-economic asset to the nation. Biology is the study of life. It is the most complex and important feature of our planet. For example, the richness of diversity allows medicines and foods to be naturally available. The term biodiversity was coined in 1985. proteins) and their […] How does biodiversity vary spatially across the globe? It is a natural science. Both processes often make use of bacteria because of their ability to make complex molecules (eg. What is biodiversity and why does it matter to us? Each specification objective is covered in just the right amount of detail with clear diagrams and clever slide animations. We have moved all content for this concept to for better organization. Biodiversity or biological diversity is a term that describes the variety of living beings on earth. A threat to biodiversity poses a threat to humankind. It may not be clear why biologists are concerned about biodiversity loss. Ecological diversity (or biodiversity) is the total amount of variety within life on earth. ecosystem that they are in and are extremely important in the function and structure of that ecosystem. Biodiversity is usually explored at three levels - genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. It is a very broad and diverse field. Without biodiversity, life would not sustain. Productive use: Ø Products commercially harvested from biodiversity for exchange in market. 2000, Global patterns in biodiversity, Nature, 405, 220-227 The paper by Gaston (2000) is an excellent place to start researching the spatial patterns of biodiversity, and some of the theories proposed to explain these patterns. Biodiversity is important, more than just the 'I want my children to enjoy it' reason. Proteins are the most abundant organic molecules present on earth. Biodiversity is a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem. Traditionally, ecologists have measured biodiversity by taking into account both the number of species and the number of individuals in each of those species. Biodiversity is good for the economy. It is important in natural as well as artificial ecosystems. Species falls below a critical level ; biodiversity various life support reasons, it important. A critical level ; biodiversity and teachers our planet ecosystem, the stronger ecosystem... 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