Module 7: Biodiversity
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
❑ explain the concept, importance, attributes, and
measures of biodiversity
❑ articulate the causes and consequences of biodiversity
loss
Biodiversity!
[Link]
➢ the total richness and variety of life on earth
➢ variability among living organisms from land, seas, and other
aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which
they are part (CBD,1992)
[Link]
Biodiversity
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How many ecological regions does the Earth have?
895
2. Which group of living organisms are the most numerous?
insects
3. What are some of the benefits we get from biodiversity?
Food, shelter, clothing, medicine
4. Of the 80,000 species of plants that are potentially edible, how many
do we actually eat?
30
Biodiversity
❑ Three levels of biodiversity:
o Genetic diversity
- sum total of information
contained in the genes of
species of plants, animals, and
microorganisms
- includes genetic variation
between distinct populations
of the same species or variation
within a population
[Link]
Biodiversity
Different varieties of
tomatoes!
[Link]
Biodiversity
❑ Three levels of biodiversity:
o Species diversity
▪ variety of species, including their
abundance, distribution and
functions or interactions within a
given spatial context
[Link]
Biodiversity
❑ Three levels of biodiversity:
o Species diversity
❖ Factors:
a. Richness - measure of the number of different kinds of organisms present in
a particular area
b. Evenness - similarity of the population size of each of the species present
Biodiversity
What is the species
richness of the area?
26
❖ with only one
representative for each
organism and each is
spaced equally from
each other, then we
can say that the
distribution is fairly
even
[Link] [Link]
Richness = ?
Evenness = ?
Adapted from I A Lambio, 2021
Biodiversity
❑ Three levels of biodiversity:
o Ecosystem diversity
▪ distribution and abundance of
habitats, biotic communities, and
ecological processes in the
biosphere
[Link]
Attributes of the Levels Biodiversity
o Compositional biodiversity
▪ describes the type of
elements and the number of
representatives present at
each level in an area
Antoniou et al ., 2017
Attributes of the Levels Biodiversity
o Structural biodiversity
▪ describes the variety of
arrangements of each
components over space
or time
[Link]
Attributes of the Levels Biodiversity
o Functional biodiversity
▪ variety of biological processes, functions or
characteristics of a particular ecosystem/area
➢occur due to the interaction of different species with
each other and with their physical environment which
generates biodiversity and continuously change
➢ thought to be one of the main factors determining
the long‐term stability and resiliency of an [Link]
ecosystem
Benefits from Biodiversity
o Anthropocentric benefits
- include the many potentials for different life forms
to provide information necessary for science,
materials that are useful to humans, and all other
recreational, medical, or consumptive benefits
o Ecocentric benefits
- intrinsic value of biodiversity which is beyond any potential
human uses
Benefits from Biodiversity
[Link]
Biodiversity Monitoring
❑surrogate species
o subsets of species which are “representative” of multiple species or
aspects of the environment
o indicators of landscape habitat and system conditions
o assumed to reflect the distribution and abundance of
the regional biota
o used in conservation planning
➢ to prioritize habitats in conservation networks
➢ to identify stressors on biodiversity
➢ to assess impacts on biodiversity
➢ to analyze habitat conditions [Link]
prairie/science/[Link]
Types of Surrogate
1. Keystone species
o species or group of species whose impact on its community or ecosystem
is much larger and more influential than would be expected from mere
abundance
o species which play a critical role in the ecosystem
o examples:
top predators
alligators
bees
mycorrhizae
[Link]
Types of Surrogate
2. Umbrella species
o organisms requiring large areas of habitat that their protection might
automatically protect a large number of naturally co-occurring species in
several ecosystems and habitats
example: Philippine Eagle
[Link]
❖ Most species are listed as endangered or threatened on the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
Types of Surrogate
3. Indicator species
o organisms sensitive to certain changes in environmental factors and may
work well only in a particular habitat or ecosystem
o used in setting a benchmark against which comparisons can be made
after a period of time
example:
giant golden crown flying fox
(pollinators of fruit trees)
[Link]
Types of Surrogate
4. Flagship species
o species chosen to represent and sell the concept of maintaining biodiversity
to the public
o act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined habitat, issue,
campaign or environmental cause
example:
Philippine Eagle
Tariktik
[Link]
Family_ID=&Location=
Surrogate Species
❑ Criteria used in selection
➢ Represent other species or some other ecologically important feature
➢ Species at risk
➢ Species of restricted range
➢ Biome-restricted species
➢ Species that congregate during a life stage
➢ Feasible to monitor
➢ Availability of data
[Link]
eagle-pag-asa-turns-25
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
❑ Drivers - various causes of extinction and the subsequent loss of
biodiversity
❖ direct drivers - explicitly influence ecosystem processes
❖ indirect drivers - change the rate at which one or more of the direct
drivers affects ecosystem processes
➢
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
❑ Drivers - various causes of extinction and the subsequent loss of biodiversity
❖ Main drivers:
o environmental stress
o large environmental disturbances
o extreme environmental conditions
o severe limitation of resources
o introduction of non-native species
o geographic isolation
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Population
growth
Relationship between human population increase and species extinction
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Habitat change
o When land is transformed from one use to another, basic elements of the ecosystem
upon which a species relies for shelter, food, and reproduction may be altered or may no
longer be available
❖ Deforestation
[Link] [Link]
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
❖ Deforestation
Tropical rainforest deforestation rates (RAN, 1999).
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
❖ Deforestation
Top 25 provinces in the Philippines with
the highest average tree cover loss from
2001 to 2014.
[Link]
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Invasive alien species
o “species whose introduction and/or spread outside their
natural past or present distribution threatens biological
diversity”
o Characteristics:
1. fast growth
2. asexual or rapid reproduction
3. ability to live off of many different food types and
sources
4. tolerance to a wide range of environmental
conditions
5. association with humans
[Link]
sites/library/files/documents/2
[Link]
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Nutrient loading
o an increase in levels of pollutants (nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur), due to human activity
are occurring at concentrations which can put species at risk
o Much of the increase is a result of various agricultural, industrial, and urban activities
o Categories:
a. Point source pollutants
- stem from a particular location
- can be clearly identified, they are easier to regulate,
monitor, and treat
b. Non-point source pollutants
- transported over a broad area
[Link]
- difficult to identify, measure, and regulate issues/article/our-plastic-addiction-is-choking-the-oceans-
sperm-whale-found-dead-with-29-kgs-of-plastic-in-its-
stomach/216101
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Changing climate
o Changes in temperature and weather conditions impact living organisms
✓species level: phenology, distribution & populations
ex. Changes in timing of animal migration, egg laying
and breeding
✓ecosystem level: distribution, composition & function
ex. Desert ecosystems have expanded
The rapid rates of warming in the Arctic observed in
recent decades, and projected for at least the next
century, are dramatically reducing the snow and ice
covers that provide denning and foraging habitat for
[Link]
polar bears. bears-climate-change-melting-ice/12724153/
[Link]
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
➢ Overexploitation
o when so many individuals are removed that a population can no longer sustain itself in the
wild without intervention
o can also change the composition of other species within a specific habitat
[Link]
Benefits from Biodiversity
➢ Contribution to human health through provision of:
o Shelter
o nutritious food
o breathable air
o drinkable water
o fuel
o protection from pathogens
➢ influence the stability of economic, political, and social systems
➢ for cultural identity
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
❖ IUCN Red List Categories
[Link]
IUCN Red List Categories
❖ Extinct (EX) - “when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual
has died”
❖ Extinct in the wild (EW) - known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity
or as a naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past range
❖ Critically endangered (CR) - “when the best available evidence (severe
population decline, very small population, very small geographic area
occupied, or if the calculated probability of extinction during the next 10
years of >50%) indicates that it is facing an extremely high risk of
extinction in the wild”
IUCN Red List Categories
❖ Endangered (EN) - “when the best available evidence (large population
decline, small population, small geographic area occupied, or if the
calculated probability of extinction during the next 20 years is >20%)
indicates that it is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the
wild”
❖ Vulnerable (VU) - “when the best available evidence (large population
decline, small population, small geographic area occupied, or if the
calculated probability of extinction during the next 20 years is at least 10%)
indicates that it is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the
wild”
IUCN Red List Categories
❖ Near threatened (NT) - “when it has been evaluated against the criteria but
does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now,
but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in
the near future”
❖ Least concern (LC) - “when it has been evaluated against the criteria and
does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near
Threatened. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category”
IUCN Red List Categories
❖ Data deficient (DD) - “when there is inadequate information to make a direct,
or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or
population status”
❖ Not evaluated (NE) - “when it is has not yet been evaluated against the
criteria”
Mega Diverse Countries
❖ high total number of species
including a significant percentage
of endemic species
- Have at least 5,000 endemic
plants
- Have a marine ecosystem
within the borders
[Link]
megadiverse-countries
Philippine Biodiversity
❑ home to more than 52,177 described species, more than half of which is found
nowhere else in the world
❑ Many of the islands in the archipelago are believed to have a very high degree
of endemism
✓ 612 species of birds
(194 are endemic)
✓ 111 amphibian species
✓ 270 reptile species
✓ more than 9,250 vernacular
plants (33% of which are
endemic)
(Pariona, 2018)
[Link]
[Link]
Biodiversity Hotspot
❑a place on Earth that is both biologically rich and deeply threatened due to
habitat loss by human activity
[Link]
Biodiversity Hotspot
❑ Criteria to be considered as a biodiversity hot spot
1. have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else in the world which amounts to at
least 1,500 endemic vascular plants (less than 0.5% of the world’s total)
2. have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation
❖ Top 10 biodiversity hotspots in the world
1. Atlantic Forest of tropical South America
2. Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
3. Cerrado, Brazil
4. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa
5. Himalaya
6. Indo-Burma
7. Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands, Mexico and Southern US
8. Mesoamerica
9. Polynesia-Micronesia
10. Philippines
Philippines as a “Biodiversity Hotspot”
❑ Status of the country’s biodiversity
WILD FLORA
TOTAL NO. OF THREATENED
POLICIES CR* EN* VU* OTS*
SPECIES
DAO 2007-01 99 187 176 64 526
DAO 2017-11 179 254 406 145 984
WILD FAUNA/ANIMALS
NO. OF THREATENED SPECIES
NO. OF
TAXONOMIC NO. OF (DAO 2004-15) and CITES 2015
ENDEMIC
GROUP SPECIES TOTAL NO. OF
SPECIES CR* EN* VU* OTS*
THREATENED SPECIES
Terrestrial
207 133 8 12 17 5 42
Mammals
Birds 691 239
Reptiles 419 241 5 16 4 4 29
Amphibians 120 98 - 4 10 - 14
TOTAL 1,437 711
* Conservation Status: CR - Critically Endangered EN - Endangered Vu - Vulnerable OTS - Other
Threatened Species
Module 7 Activity: Threat Inventory (Summary Table)
1. Explore your household or
community.
2. Make a list of five possible
threats to biodiversity in your
vicinity.
3. Explain the effects of these
threats to biodiversity.
4. To help you do this, a blank
table template is provided for you
to fill up.