13. Biodiversity is the variety of life on
Earth and the essential
interdependence of all living things
• Scientists have identified more than 1.4 million species. Tens of
millions -- remain unknown (www.thecatalogueoflife.org)
•The tremendous variety of life on Earth is made possible by
complex interactions among all living things including micro-
oganisms.
14. There are 3 components of
biodiversity
1. Diversity of genes
Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all the same
species —but they're not the same because there is
variety in their genes.
Chihuahua Beagle
Rottweilers
15. 2. Diversity of number of species
For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and
meadow beauties are all different species.
Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Meadow Beauty
There are 3 components of
There are 3 components of
biodiversity
biodiversity
16. 3. Variety of ecosystems
Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers are all Freshwater Ecosystems.
Rocky coast, Sand Dune, Estuary, Salt Marsh , Coral Reef
are all Marine Ecosystems.
So what’s an ECOSYSTEM???
There are 3 components of
There are 3 components of
biodiversity
biodiversity
17. ECOSYSTEM DEFINITION
“ A self-contained community of
microorganisms, animals and plants, that
interact with each other and with their physical
environment.”
eg a rock
pool
19. Within an ecosystem there can be
many HABITATS
• This is the physical and chemical
description of where a creature lives...
20. HABITATS might describe:
• The NAME of the place where the creature
lives.
• eg Arctic Canada is the habitat of the polar bear
Ursa maritima.
21. HABITATS might describe:
• The DOMINANT VEGETATION of the
place where the creature lives.
• eg Heather moorland is the habitat of the
grouse.
22. HABITATS might describe:
• The TYPE of place where the creature lives.
• eg species of fish like Pike (Esox lucius) are
found in freshwater lakes and ponds.
• So what’s a SPECIES??
24. 1. A group of morphologically
similar creatures which can:
• Interbreed to produce fertile offspring
• Are ‘reproductively isolated’.
• Problems with this definition include…
25. • Extinct creatures eg T. rex
• Creatures who breed asexually eg bacteria
• Creatures who can’t be tested ethically eg
Man x Chimp
26. 2. Creatures who are related
through PHYLOGENY
• Similar DNA
• Similar proteins eg in blood
• Similar biochemistry
• Similar embryology
27. DNA profiles of Primates
• % DNA
similar
• 100
• 99
• 98
• 97
• 96
• 95
• 94
• 93
• Gibbon Orang Utan Gorilla Chimp Man
Humans share 98-99% of
their DNA with Chimps.
They are our closest
living relatives.
38. Biodiversity also has Utilitarian Value
Utilitarian Value = the value something has as
a means to another’s end.
Utilitarian values include:
• Goods eg sustainable timber
• Services eg eco-tourism
• Information eg National Park
Wardens
39. What do we get from
biodiversity?
Oxygen
Food
Clean Water
Medicine
Aesthetics
Ideas
40. Should we be concerned about
biodiversity?
What we know:
The Earth is losing species at an alarming rate
• Some scientists estimate that as many as 3
species per hour are going extinct and 20,000
extinctions occur each year.
• when species of plants and animals go extinct, many
other species are affected.
46. GOALS OF CONVENTION
ON BIODIVERSITY
“The conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable
use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing
of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic
resources”
“Biodiversity is a common concern of humankind and
an integral part of the development process”
• > 100,000 plant/animal species lost in last 5 years
• Habitat loss is biggest current threat to biodiversity
• Deforestation and forest degradation has increased
since the Rio Earth Summit
47. BIODIVERSITY
• How many species are there?
-- 1.4 million named species (70% of which are
invertebrates)
-- estimated 3 to 50 million species alive!
52. BIODIVERSITY
• 1 mammal species
every 400 years
• 1 bird species/200 yrs
Now…………...
• 10,000 times the
background rate!
• 20-75 plant/animal
species each day?
Background rates
59. RATES OF DEFORESTATION
1981-1990:
• 0.9%/year
• 53,000 sq. mi./year
• 21,000 sq. mi. in
South America (Amz)
= area of NC
• By 1988, +/- 10% of
the Amazon had been
cut down
• Due to isolation of
fragments and in
forest/clearing
boundaries = 16%
affected by deforestation
65. • Swidden agriculture (slash-and-burn)
> 60% of deforestation
> Rapid decline in soil productivity (nutrient storage?)
> Can be sustainable
-- (15 - 20 year rotation)
> Inequitable land ownership (e.g., Brazil where only 5% of
farmers own land)
CAUSES
66. • Commercial logging
21% of deforestation
creaming of the most valuable hardwoods
1-2 trees per hectare taken (widespread damage)
clearcut versus selective
CAUSES
67. • Cattle ranching
12% of deforestation
frequently aided by government subsidies
2 trees destroyed for each hamburger made from
“tropical forest beef”
CAUSES
69. WHY DEFORESTATION?
• Complex
• Many underlying social problems giving impetus to deforestation:
> over-consumption in industrialized countries
> foreign debt
> poverty
> unequal ownership of land
> overpopulation
Deforestation
70. WHAT CAN BE DONE?
1. The need to preserve intact sections of tropical forest
> The question of “edge communities”
71. WHAT CAN BE DONE?
2. The need to address the economic needs of the lesser
developed nations in which all of the tropical
forests reside
> Are the ideas of commercial development and maintaining
the health of the environment mutually exclusive?
72. WHAT CAN BE DONE?
• Broad-scale commercial and conservation strategies need to be
developed but these must take into account the economic and
environmental constraints of the particular country (i.e., detailed
local knowledge!)
• There must be designated core and buffer conservation zones
centered around areas of particular endemism (other areas can
be designated for limited sustainable commercial activities
(polycyclic logging, selective extraction of forest products etc.)
73. Total area: 39 ha; core: 2 Total area: 42 ha; core: 25
Core
Buffer
Multiple-use
Research and training
Tourist facility
Human settlement
74. CREDITOR
US$ 11 m
WWF may initiate
discussion between
parties, acts as an
intermediary, and
facilitates negotiations
WWF may design conservation criteria by which
grants made from the fund will be evaluated
and/or oversee the fund’s management
Commercial Debt for Nature Swaps
STEP 1 STEP 2
US$ 28 m
of debt
NGO
(WWF)
US$ 28 m
of debt
is cancelled
DEBTOR
GOVERNMENT
US$ 25 m
local currency
equivalent
STEP 3
CONSERVATION
PROJECT FUND
Assumes: 40% debt purchase price
90% payment in local currency