Scribd
Upload
723 views

Biodiversity and Stability

This document discusses the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem stability. It defines biodiversity and explains that ecosystems with high biodiversity are more stable because they are more resilient to changes like drought. Low biodiversity ecosystems are less stable, as the loss of one species can cause a chain reaction that eliminates other species. This is illustrated through examples comparing low biodiversity systems like grass-rabbit-fox to higher diversity systems like grass-rabbit-chicken-fox. The document emphasizes that high biodiversity buffers ecosystems from changes and disturbances.

Uploaded by

Fe Pakias Gullod
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
723 views

Biodiversity and Stability

This document discusses the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem stability. It defines biodiversity and explains that ecosystems with high biodiversity are more stable because they are more resilient to changes like drought. Low biodiversity ecosystems are less stable, as the loss of one species can cause a chain reaction that eliminates other species. This is illustrated through examples comparing low biodiversity systems like grass-rabbit-fox to higher diversity systems like grass-rabbit-chicken-fox. The document emphasizes that high biodiversity buffers ecosystems from changes and disturbances.

Uploaded by

Fe Pakias Gullod
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 23

Biodiversity and

Stability
Biodiversity is…
 Biodiversity is a term that describes how varied
living things are in a specific area. It is also a
measure of how many different species live in an
ecosystem.
Categories of the Value of Species
 Direct economic value - the species is considered to
have direct economic value if their products are
sources of foo, medicine, clothing, shelter, and
energy.
 Indirect economic value – A species has indirect
economic value if there are benefits produced by
the organism without using them.
 Aesthetic value – A lot of species provides visual or
artistic enjoyment.
Rosy Periwinkle (“tsitsirika”)
Rosy Periwinkle is an example of a specie that have a direct
economic value. The rosy periwinkle, found in Madagascar,
contains dozens of alkaloids, two of which are used to treat
childhood leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease.
Stability….

 Stability of an ecosystem can be described as the


resilience to withstand changes that may occur in the
environment.
High vs. Low Biodiversity
 Ecosystems with high biodiversity have many
different species of organisms.
 Ecosystems with low biodiversity do not have many
different species of organisms.
High Biodiversity
Low Biodiversity
Low or High Biodiversity?
Low or High Biodiversity?
Low or High Biodiversity?
Ecosystem Stability

 The higher the biodiversity, the more stable


the ecosystem.
 An ecosystem with high biodiversity does not
change easily; it is stable
 An ecosystem with low biodiversity is unstable
 One small change could cause many species to die
Low Biodiversity

Rabbits eat grass. Foxes eat rabbits

Foxes

Rabbit

Grass
Low Biodiversity
 A disturbance hits…
A drought happens and kills all the grass.

Foxes

Rabbit

Grass
Low Biodiversity
 What happens to the foxes?

How many species do we have left?


Foxes
0!
BIG change? Rabbit

Grass
Higher Biodiversity

Let’s add a few more species to our original


ecosystem

Lettuce Foxes

Rabbit
Chickens
Grass
Higher Biodiversity
 A disturbance hits…
A drought happens and kills all the grass.

Lettuce Foxes

Rabbit
Chickens
Grass
Higher Biodiversity
 The food
What web started
happens to thewith high biodiversity
rabbits?
 High biodiversity = stable ecosystem
Population size decreases… a little
 One change didn’t have a major impact!

Lettuce Foxes

BIG change? Rabbit


Chickens
Grass
2 General factors of Population
Growth
 Density-Independent Factors –a factor that
regulates a population growth and is influenced by
population density (number of organisms per unit
area).
 Density-Dependent Factors –if the population’s
density does not directly influence changes in
population’s growth.
Density-independent limiting factors
Density-independent limiting factors that can stop a population
from growing can be such things as natural disasters,
temperature, sunlight, and the activities of humans in the
environment.
Density-Dependent limiting factors
 Density-dependent limiting factors come into play
when a population reaches a certain number of
organisms.
 When a population reaches a certain size, there
won’t be enough resources for all the organisms.
Biodiversity and Extinction
 Environmental change in an ecosystem with low
biodiversity can even cause extinction of a species
 Can occur if there are no organisms of that species in
other ecosystems throughout the world
.thank u
Powerpoint by Louie B. & Yunez C.

You might also like