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forest ecology and biodiversity.scope and objectives of succession.
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Describe three types of biodiversity. Explain the importance of biodiversity. Summarize the direct and indirect value of biodiversity.
Gene: functional unit that controls the expression of inherited traits and is passed from generation to generation
Domestic corn plant Teosinte plant Madagascar periwinkle
Humans depend on plants and animals to provide food, clothing, energy, medicine, and shelter. Genetic diversity in species that might be needed in the future is important because… (^) Most of the world’s food crops come from just a few species. (^) Wild species serve as reservoirs of desirable genetic traits that might be needed to improve domestic crop species (disease- and insect-resistance). Many of the medicines that are used today are derived from plants or other organisms. (^) Scientists continue to find new extracts from plants and other organisms that help in the treatment of human diseases. (^) However, many species of organisms are yet to be identified, especially in remote regions of Earth, so their usefulness in providing extracts or useful genes is unknown.
It is difficult to attach an economic value to the services that a healthy biosphere provides humans. An economic study determined that restoring the biodiversity in the ecosystem (1.5 billion) that filtered the water supply for New York City was less expensive than building a new water filtration system (6 billion).
The gradual process of species becoming extinct is known as background extinction. Mass extinction is an event in which a large percentage of all living species become extinct in a relatively short period of time. Five Most Recent Mass Extinctions
Factors that Threaten Biodiversity
Overexploitation, or excessive use, of species that have economic value is a factor increasing the current rate of extinction. Historically, overexploitation was the primary cause of species extinction. Bison Passenger Pigeons Ocelot Rhinoceros
The smaller the parcel of land, the fewer species it can support. Fragmentation reduces the opportunities for individuals in one area to reproduce with individuals from another area. (Genetic diversity decreases over time) Carving the large ecosystem into small parcels increases the number of edges—creating edge effects.