Notes+on+biodiversity

toc =3.1 Biodiversity=
 * Wednesday. May 5, 2010.**
 * SNC 1D1-02 and SNC 1D1-04 Wednesday**


 * biodiversity** - the number and variety of organisms found within a specific region


 * individual** - one organism, e.g. Mr. Tram
 * population** - a group of one type of organism, e.g. all students at RCI
 * community** - many organisms living in a limited area, e.g. all animals and plants in the Riverdale neighbourhood
 * ecosystem** - a region with many related communities, e.g. abiotic and biotic factors Toronto

How many species on Earth?
Known: 2 million Estimated: 5 to 100 million

An **ecologist** documents biodiversity.

For biodiversity to remain high ecosystems must be protected. Preserving a single species often requires us to protect **habitat**.

How and why do ecologists measure biodiversity?
To protect biodiversity we must first understand it!

e.g. canopy fogging, quadrat sampling, transect sampling, netting

Task: Write a short description of each so you could tell someone at home about the four methods.

We make collections of animals, plants and insects. e.g. Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

Canada's Biodiversity
Canada is a large country but has relatively low biodiversity.

Why? Cold and short growing seasons.

Does that matter? No. Canada has the biodiversity its animals and plants need **but** if we do not protect that biodiversity we will all lose.

How to protect biodiversity?

 * need to know what's there
 * need to know biodiversity hotspots

Biodiversity hotspots
A hotspot is where you have many species e.g. Carolinian forest in Ontario covers 1% of Canada but has 2200 of Canada's 5000 plant species and 40% of Canada's breeding birds

Biodiversity in the tropics
High levels of biodiversity in the tropics. e.g. Lake Malawi (in Africa) has 1000 species of fish. Lake Erie (Canada) has only 150.

Task:
1. Describe the four types of biodiversity measure 2. Copy pg. 94. Section summary 3. Pg. 94 1-4, 7-8