Discover the Biological Sciences
The introductory information for this site has been contributed as a joint assignment by students in Bio. Sci. 10.
Ecology - Biodiversity
By: Kei Igarashi
Biodiversity is difficult to describe in one word. There are three things you have to know to define it. Biodiversity is the diversity of the individual. Every organism has different and special gene information to create our body. However, a lot of domesticated plants have been controlled by human and their gene information is very similar. So, if they got suffered by abnormal weather or harmful insects, they almost get same damages. Symmetrical, wild plants never get damage like domesticated plants. Second definition of Biodiversity is the diversity of the species. If I change to easier word, it is the differentiation of the species. Now, Scientists have estimated the number of species on the earth and it is about 5,000,000~10,000,000. The third meaning of Biodiversity is the diversity of the ecosystem. We call it ecosystem because every species (including ourselves) live together in one big or small place with competing and coexistence. Every biosphere makes a unique weather and lay of the land. Species can be adapted it and make the varieties of the life. Therefore, Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given for all over the Earth.
During this 20th century, we have observed that a lot of species have been exterminated or faced extinction. The reason why the biodiversity of this entire earth is missing strongly has something to do with human being activities. Some Scientists argue that About 140,000 species are lost in a year. There are two big factors why Biodiversity is under the threat of extinction. One is the destruction of the habitat. We especially have consumed the tree of tropical rain forests. This biome have been changed the rain forests for agricultural land because it do not have a strong relationship with us. But, as long as the earth life structures become unstable, we are destined to be declined someday. Second is Exotic species. Since we could transport anything by ship and airplane, super species have showed up all over the world. Some foreign species often are stronger than any native species. There are many reports explained how foreign species destroyed the native habitat. Declines in amphibian populations have been observed since 1980s. These may critically threaten global biodiversity. This is the focus on this topic and my most interesting point I have learned in this topic.
Reference
Wikipedia, Biodiversity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity
What is Biodiversity? http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~had26900/shokubutsu_no_bunrui/about_biodiversity.htm
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