Biodiversity = "biological diversity" (1985)

Biodiversity = variation of taxonomic life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. It is often a measure of the health of biological systems to indicate the degree to which the aggregate of historical species are viable versus extinct. Biodiversity = variation of life at all levels of biological organization. It is a measure of the relative diversity among organisms present in different ecosystems viz diversity within a species and among species, and comparative diversity among ecosystems.

BIODIVERSITY
The 1992 United Nations earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro

the variability among living organisms from all sources, including, 'inter alia', terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

 biodiversity = totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region. This definition is often used by ecologists. It describes most circumstances and presents a unified view of the traditional three levels at which biodiversity has been identified: Genetic diversity - diversity of genes within a species. There is a genetic variability among the populations and the individuals of the same species. Species diversity - diversity among species in an ecosystem. Biodiversity hotspots" are excellent examples of species diversity. Ecosystem diversity - diversity at a higher level of organization, the ecosystem. It has to do with the variety of ecosystems on Earth.

Ecosystem
The organisms living together in a specific environment form an ecosystem. They depend on each other and on the abiotic environment in which they live. Do they affect each others existence? How? Could you think of few simple examples of ecosystem?

Examples of ecosystems

A coral reef is an example of a complex marine ecosystem Rainforest are among the most diverse ecosystem on earth

Biodiversity Hotspots (BHS)

a biogeographic region that is both a significant

reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. refer to 34 areas that have lost at least 70% of their original habitat >1500 endemic vascular plant species the remaining natural habitat of BHS is ~ 1.4% of the planets land surface, yet supports nearly 60% of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.

Where are these hotspots located? North and Central America e.g. California floristic province, Caribbean Islands South America e.g. Atlantic Forest, Tropical Andes Europe and Central Asia e.g. Mediterranean Basin, Mountains of Central Asia Africa e.g. coastal forests of E. Africa, Madagascar, Indian Ocean Islands Asia-Pacific e.g. Himalaya, IndoBurma, Japan, N. Zealand, Southwest Australia, Philippines

Any critiques against the hotspots? Do not:

Represent other species richness e.g. total

species richness or threatened species richness? Represent taxa other than vascular plants? e.g MO Protect smaller scale richness hotspots? Changing land use patterns? Protect ecosystem services? Consider phylogenetic diversity?

The importance of biodiversity

We are eliminating populations/species faster than we can discover new ones. We are cutting down virgin forest before we have had time to document or study what was there. We are replacing our naturally diverse vegetation with artificial monocultures. We are polluting our environment and changing background environmental conditions faster than nature can respond. We worry about the loss of species usually once it is too late to economically and effectively do anything about it.

SO WHAT? WHY SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY? OR WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY?
Food and drink
Medicines Industrial materials

Other ecological services

Leisure, cultural and aesthetic value

Could you measure biodiversity?

Yes, but not without difficulty. WHY? Do you have any knowledge of what you are losing? Ask yourself simple questions:

How many species of animals are on earth? How many have been described? Is there any centralized database? Why do you think you have not described all species? e.g. Laonastes aenigmamus

.measure biodiversity? Continue.

Where do we know least or most? Best described regions: W. Europe, USA, Canada Best described groups: birds and mammals Least described regions: deep-sea, tropics Least described groups: insects, worms, fungi, protists, Archaea, Bacteria

Could biodiversity be measured?

Each measure of biodiversity relates to particular use of the data. Broadly shared among locally affected people. Ensure continued posibilities for both adaptation and future use by people, assuring environmental sustainability. Associated with the variety of genes. But which genes? What is the best choice?

SPECIES-LEVEL BIODIVERSITY (Species richness or species evenness)

Species richness
A count of the number of different species. What does it denotes? How it is used? What are its weaknesses? Simpson diversity index

Also known as species-diversity index Quantify biodiversity of a habitat Quantify number of species Quantify relative abundance of each species

Laonastes aenigmamus

Hypothesized distribution of species living on earth today