Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

(13 hours)

3.1 An Introduction to biodiversity

3.2 Origins of biodiversity

3.3 Threats to biodiversity

3.4 Conservation of biodiversity

What you should know

At the end of this Subtopic 3.1 - An introduction to biodiversity, you should be able to:

  • Define the concept of biodiversity.
  • Distinguish between species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity.
  • Define species diversity and explain how it is composed of richness and evenness.
  • Explain how species diversity is indicative of general biodiversity.
  • Define genetic diversity and explain why it is important to the survival of a species.
  • Define habitat diversity.
  • Explain how species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity are interlinked.
  • Assess the impact of human activity on the biodiversity of an area over time.
  • Discuss the effectiveness of using diversity indices to understand and conserve ecosystems.
  • Demonstrate how the quantification of biodiversity can assist in the identification of appropriate conservation measures.
    • Apply/calculate diversity indices.

What you should know

By the end of this Subtopic 3.2 - Origins of biodiversity, you should be able to:

  • Explain what evolution is and how it causes biodiversity.
  • Define speciation.
  • Describe the causes of speciation.
  • Explain that biological variation is totally random and is not in response to the survival needs of the species.
  • Variation can be beneficial, harmful or neutral and that it may or may not have an impact on the individual.
  • Discuss the mechanisms that cause natural selection.
  • Demonstrate how natural selection contributes to biodiversity.
  • Discuss how environmental changes can lead to natural selection.
  • Compare the various causes of population isolation such as mountain formation, changes in river courses or sea levels, climatic change and plate tectonics.
  • Explain how the distribution of the continents has caused variations in climate and food supply and how that has encouraged evolution.
  • Explain how the creation of land bridges and physical barriers have evolutionary consequences.
  • Explain how plate tectonics has created land bridges and physical barriers.
  • Discuss the causes of past mass extinctions.
  • Explain how past mass extinctions increased biodiversity.

By the end of this Subtopic 3.3 - Threats to biodiversity, you should be able to:

  • Outline different methods by which the number of global species are estimated.
  • Describe the difficulties in estimating the number of global species.
  • Discuss how human activity threatens species and causes species extinction.
  • Explain the criteria used by the IUCN Red List to determine conservation status of a species.
  • Evaluate the role of he IUCN Red List.
  • Discuss the case histories of species that are critically endangered.
  • Discuss the case histories of species that has become extinct.
  • Discuss the case histories of species which have had their conservation status improved through human intervention.
  • Define a biological hotspot.
  • Discuss the conflict between exploitation, sustainable development and conservation in tropical biomes.
  • Apply different Environmental Value Systems (EVS) to the different approaches taken on the use of habitats and species.

By the end of this Subtopic 3.4 - Conservation of biodiversity, you should be able to:

  • Explain the different reasons for biodiversity conservation including aesthetic, ecological, economic, ethical, social and spiritual justifications.
  • Discuss how the reasons given for conservation of biodiversity will depend onEnvironmental Value Systems.
  • Distinguish between utilitarian and non-utilitarian values of biodiversity.
  • Compare and contrast the roles of Intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in biodiversity conservation.
  • Outline different global agreements and collaborations between nations to conserve biodiversity.
  • Describe the role of keystone species, flagship species and umbrella species.
  • Evaluate the role of CITES in species conservation.
  • Discuss the role of ex-situ conservation including captive breeding and re-introductionprogrammes.
  • Evaluate different approaches to protecting biodiversity.
  • Explain the criteria used to design a protected area.
  • Explain the impact of land use and urban areas near to a protected area and the role of buffer zones to alleviate these effects.
  • Discuss the characteristics of a successful protected area e.g. community support, adequate funding and research.