Biodiversity• The number of different species

that live within an ecosystem

Biomass• The mass of living biological

organisms in an ecosystem at a given time• The dry weight of organic carbon

Endemic Species• A species that is native to the area

and ONLY found in that area•Koala•Panda•Kangaroo

Endemic Species• Lemur, kiwi, platypus, rainforest frogs

Galapagos Islands• Frigate Bird• Red footed bobby• Blue footed bobby• Galapagos penguin• Galapagos turtle

Invasive Species• A species that does not naturally

occur in an area and causes harm to the ecosystem

Zebra Mussels Dyer’s Woad

Invasive Species• Cheat Grass• Eurasian Dove

Invasive Species • Burmese Python• Giant Rat

Keystone Species• A species that is vital to an

ecosystem and the entire ecosystem will be affected if it is removed

Keystone Species

Endangered Species• A species whose numbers are so

small that it is at risk of extinction

Endangered Species• Arctic Fox• Arctic tundra (Alaska, Canada,

Russia)•100’s of thousands•Climate change•Fur harvesting•Diseases from wild dogs

Endangered Species• Peregrine Falcon• 1650 breeding pairs• U.S. and Canada: wide range•DDT and DDE (pesticides banned in the 1970’s) causes thinning of egg shells

Endangered Species• Killer Whale• Less than 50,000•Pollution and chemical contamination•Makes them more susceptible to disease

Endangered Species• Monarch Butterfly• North and Central America- migrate

to Mexico•Harvesting lumber in the area•Climate – changes migration area•Loss of milkweed plants

Endangered Species• American Bison (North America)• 500,000•Disease - Crossbreeding with cattle•Hunting

Endangered Species• African and Asian Elephants• 450,000-700,000 African• 35,000-40,000 Asian• Habitat loss• Tusk harvesting

Endangered Species• California Condor• 279 : 130 have been reintroduced into the

wild• Western U.S., Mexico, Canada• Lead poisoning• Electrocution on power lines• Poaching

Endangered Species• Mountain Gorilla• 700• Virunga mountain region (East Africa)•Habitat loss due to human population growth•Disease•Poaching

Endangered Species• Black Rhino: 2,400

White Rhino: 7,500Sumatran Rhino: 400Javan Rhino: fewer than 100Indian Rhino: more than 2,000•Poaching for horns

Endangered Species• Giant Panda• China• 2000•Climate change affecting bamboo growth•Habitat loss due to farming

Endangered Species• Koala Bear• Australia• Fewer than 100,000•Habitat destruction•Hunted for furs•Traffic accidents•Attacked by domestic dogs

Endangered Species• Chimpanzee• 100,000 – 200,000• African continent•Habitat destruction•Commercial exploitation

Endangered Species• Ocelot• North and South America• 800,000 – 1.25 million•Habitat destruction•Fur harvesting

Extinction• The end of a species of organism

Extinct Species• Extinct animals• Labrador Duck (skunk duck)•1878: New York City•Over harvesting by humans (hunting)

Extinct Species• Javan Tiger• Indonesian Islands•1976•Human expansion•Food source exhausted (Rusa deer)

• Bali Tiger•1937•Habitat loss •Over harvesting

Extinct Species• North African Elephant• Egypt and Mediterranean • Used as war elephants

Extinct Species• Passenger Pigeon• 1914• North America

Extinct Species• Dodo Bird• Late 17th century• Island of Mauritius

Reasons • Poaching• Pollution• Over hunting• Loss of habitat• Disease• Invasive Species• Predation• Climate change• Natural disasters•Meteorite impacts, volcanoes•Hurricanes, tsunami

Mass Extinctions• Mass Extinction: when several

groups of species die out due to a major ecosystem changing event

Mass Extinctions1. Ordovician: 438 million

years ago•Cause: Ice Age•100 families extinct •More than half of the brachiopod species extinct

Mass Extinctions2. Devonian: about 370 mya•Global climate change: Ice Age or Warming Period•19% of animal families extinct (mostly Aquatic)

Mass Extinctions 3. Permian: about 245 mya• Largest mass extinction•Causes? Climate change due to mass volcanic eruptions or plate tectonic movement•95% of all species

Mass Extinctions4. Triassic: 210 mya•Global Ice Age•28% of all animal families die out•Most early dinosaur families went extinct

Mass Extinctions5. Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T): 65 mya•Meteorite impact and/or volcanic eruptions•About half of all life forms died out including• Dinosaurs• Ammonites• Fish• Clams• Snails• Sponges• Sea urchins

Evidence for Meteorite Impact

The 6th Mass Extinction• 1993 • The Theory that humans will cause

another mass extinction• Only extinction caused by biotic factors •Pollution•Habitat destruction•Over harvesting•Exploitation of resources (poaching)• Introduction of invasive species