Biodiversity and Conservation Fill in the Blank Notes for Environmental Science

Students
New Vocabulary Words: Keystone species, conservation, hybrid, aesthetics, ethics, ecotourism, taxonomy,
domain, thermophilic bacteria, halophilic bacteria, methanogens bacteria, single-cellular, multicellular, Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, genus, species, life-cycle, Monera Kingdom, Protista Kingdom, Fungi Kingdom,
Plantae Kingdom, Animalia Kingdom, extinct, Specialized species, habitat destruction, fragmentation, Exotic
species, poaching, endemic species, mass extinction, threated species, endangered species, Captive-Breeding
Programs, cloning, and germ plasm

Review:
 Biodiversity is the number of different species in an ecosystem
 Genetic diversity is the number of different genes in a species
_________

Benefits of Biodiversity:
Species staying connected to ecosystems -______________________________ is a species that is very
important to its community or ecosystem.
 Often the top predator but can exist at any level of the food chain/web
 If it is removed it would critically impair the ecosystem
 Example: A sea otter in a kelp-bed community
o Sea otters eat sea urchins and if they were around the urchin population would destroy the
kelp-bed community

Genetic diversity-keep species healthy and populations stable

 Medical
o Most medications in the USA derived from plants or fungi
o Researching other animals have led to the discovery of medications
 Scientists have observed chimpanzees use a pith, leaf, or root from plants for certain
illnesses and realized that those items also cured man of the same disease so now there
are medications developed from that research
 Industries and agricultural uses-________________ (usually new plants varieties) that have been
genetically engineered to produce more food worldwide, resistance to diseases, and have more
nutritional value}
 _____________ (set of beliefs to preserve organisms and ecosystems), __________________ (pleasing
to the eye and/or nose-personal enjoyment), and Recreation-____________________ (A form of
tourism that supports conservation and sustainable development by learning about nature)

_____________________________ is used to save species from extinction and save resources for further
generations. This section will concentrate on the saving of species.
 First use ________________________ to identify a species
_______________________ is the science of classifying organisms. The taxonomic classification uses a
hierarchical model from Kingdom to species. Each category breaks the organism down into smaller and smaller

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categories.

_________________________ is the largest one: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

Bacteria
They include the blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), purple sulfur bacteria, etc., as well as most of the
more familiar decomposing and disease-causing bacteria. 

General characteristics

 _____________________________ (one cell in the organism), absorptive-heterotrophic,

photoautotrophic, or chemoautotrophic prokaryotes.
 Only one set of genes, usually in a single-stranded loop.
 Lack sexual reproduction.
 Several chemical types of cell walls.
 Lack organelles such as centrioles, eukaryotic flagella, cilia, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
o Some bacteria have a unique type of rotating flagellum.
 Photoautotrophic species have chlorophyll, but not chloroplasts (which are organelles that are
separated from the surrounding cytoplasm by their own membranes)

Archaea

These are the most ancient bacteria. The ______________________ (hot-water-loving),

_____________________ (brine-loving), and ________________________ (Methane producing bacteria from
organic wastes such as sewage and landfills.) There are also sulfur-oxidizers that are mutualists with animals
(such as Pogonophora) near submarine hot water vents. They include chemoautotrophic, photoautotrophic,
and absorptive-heterotrophic (decomposer) metabolic types; does not include pathogens or the typical, aerobic
decomposers of soils and underwater sediments.

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General Characteristics
 Prokaryotic like Bacteria, but have biochemical cell walls, proteins associated with DNA, and some
metabolic pathways are different from Bacteria.
 Genetically more similar to Eukarya than to Bacteria.
 Tolerate harsher environments than most other prokaryotes and all eukaryotes.

Eukarya

Unicellular protozoans (ciliates, amoebas and flagellates), most kinds of algae, and all plants, fungi and animals. 

General Characteristics:
 Nuclei surrounded by cell membranes
 Organized chromosomes that arrange on a mitotic spindle at mitosis and undergo meiosis for sexual
reproduction.
 Often have a standard, eukaryote flagellum -fiber design in some life stage, and at least one Golgi
apparatus.
 Some have organelles such as mitochondria
 All the eukaryotes that are photoautotrophic have membrane-bound organelles called chloroplasts.

Kingdoms: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia

Monera (includes Eubacteria and Archeobacteria)

 single-celled
 may or may not move
 have a cell wall
 have no chloroplasts or other organelles
 no true nucleus
 usually very tiny
o although the blue-green bacteria, look like algae (cyanobacteria)
 very important to the environment because it provides oxygen
 filamentous and quite long, green
 no visible structure inside the cells
 They absorb nutrients through the cell wall or produce their own by photosynthesis.
Protista
 Protists are single-celled
o usually move by cilia, flagella, or by amoeboid mechanisms
o There is usually no cell wall, although some forms may have a cell wall.
o They have organelles including a nucleus and may have chloroplasts, so some will be green and
others won't be.
o They are small, although many are big enough to be recognized in a dissecting microscope or
even with a magnifying glass.
o Nutrients are acquired by photosynthesis, ingestion of other organisms, or both.
Fungi
 __________________________ (more than one cell in the organism)

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  has a cell wall
 organelles including a nucleus, but no chloroplasts
 no mechanisms for locomotion
 range in size from microscopic to very large (such as mushrooms)
 Nutrients are acquired by absorption.
o For the most part, fungi acquire nutrients from decaying material.

Plantae
 multicellular
 most don't move, although gametes of some plants move using cilia or flagella
 Organelles including at least one nucleus, chloroplasts, and cell walls
 Nutrients are acquired by photosynthesis (they all require sunlight).

Animalia
 Multicellular
 move with the aid of cilia, flagella, or muscular organs based on contractile proteins
 They have organelles including a nucleus, but no chloroplasts or cell walls.
 Nutrients by ingestion

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All organisms have life cycles-The stages of an organism’s life.

This is a butterfly cycle

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How many species are there on Earth?
It is estimated that there are 9 million eukaryotes and a total estimation is up to 50 million species.
o Many species will become ________________ (no longer exist on the planet) before humans
discover them.
 Can’t easily adapt to environmental changes
 Only eat one or two food sources-_______________________________________
 Having one dominate male for all the females in a group-loss of genetic diversity
 ________________________________________ (total loss of a habitat) and
______________________________________________(parts of the habitat broken up)
because of man
 Pollution
 Allowing Invasive ___________________________________ (species not native to a
particular region)
 _________________________-Unregulated killing of an organism. –Sell the animal
skins, organs, tusk, etc.
 Not all threatened species are protected by laws
 Poaching is illegal but especially poor countries do it anyway for food, medicine,
and income
 __________________________________ are native species living in areas with great
biodiversity (Like the Tropical Rain forest) and are only found within those areas

Areas that are at very high risk of extinction:

 Tropical Rain Forests-endemic species and habitat loss/fragmentation
 Coral Reefs and Coastal Ecosystems-hurricanes/bad storms, man, and predators
 Volcanic Hot Spots
o Form volcanic islands and cause many earthquakes especially around the Ring of Fire in the
Pacific Ocean.
o Example: Hawaiian Islands
 Islands have limited resources and species

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___________________________________________ is referring to the loss of many species around the world
usually because of an event
Examples:

 Yucatan Peninsula had an asteroid hit the ground (loss of many plants and the dinosaurs -enabled
mammals to grow in number 65 million years ago)
 The forming and breaking up of supercontinents Rodinia (Formed 1.1 billion years ago and broke up 750
million years ago) and Pangaea (formed 270 million years ago and broke up 200 million years ago)
o Researchers suspect another Mass extinction will occur within the next 100, 000 years because
of trends

Many species are currently _________________________________________(low in numbers and possibly

become endangered) or ___________________________________________ (very low in numbers and possibly
can become extinct) right now.

The Future of Biodiversity:

1.) __________________________________________________ – Breeding endangered species to increase
their populations
2.) Scientific Research
 Example: In 1973 a scientist was studying the endangered tambalacoque trees on Mauritius (island
off the eastern coast of Africa). This tree has a 300 year life cycle and most of the 13 trees left were
nearing that age. They knew that the dodo bird (who have been extinct for many times used its
gizzard to grind the seeds of the tree and expelled the seeds in their waste. The scientist decided to
find another organism with a gizzard and see if the organism would eat and expel the seeds too.
Turkeys were used and the expelled seeds sprouted and new seedlings were formed so this tree is
now growing in numbers again.
3.) ________________________ Endangered Species-Controversial procedure that creates an embryo out
of adult tissue
4.) _______________________________ is any form of genetic material contained within the reproductive,
or germ, cells of animals and plants.
 Germ plasm banks are used to research an organism in the future and for recovery efforts to save
the species
5.) Zoos, Aquarium, National Parks/Wildlife Refuges, and Gardens
a.) Philadelphia Zoo was chartered in Mar. 21, 1859 but because of the Civil War did not open its
doors until July 1, 1874.
 Norfolk Zoo is the closest one to us
b.) The largest zoo in the world is in Atlanta, Georgia with 6.3 million gallons and houses over
100,000 organisms
 Virginia Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach is the closest one to us
c.) Yellowstone National Park was the 1st park in the USA
 Yellowstone Act of 1872 was signed into law by President Grant on Mar. 1, 1872
 1,221,773 acres of land from Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
 Virginia has lots of National Parks

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  The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has 111,200 acres and is one of few
remaining American wildernesses. –Suffolk/Chesapeake/parts of North Carolina
d.) There are over 1,600 Botanical gardens around the world
 Used for plant research, see beautiful and unique plants, and a conservation center
 To cultivate endangered plant species and reintroduce them into the wild
 Norfolk, VA is the closest to us
6.) Habitat conservation efforts
7.) Further research
8.) Laws to protect more species
a.) Endangered Species Act of 1973-designed to protect plants and animals from extinction

b.) International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
 Goal is to reach 160,000 species by 2020

c.) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
 Works with IUCN in helping endangered species
 They meet once a year with many countries

d.) Biodiversity Treaty of 1992 was signed at the United Nations Meeting
 Signed by 150 nations
 Created The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which started Dec. 29, 1993
e.) Chesapeake Bay Foundation founded in 1967
 Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint process started Dec. 15, 1987 and as progress
yearly to the current name
 Water quality and controlling pollution
 Protect organisms (plants and animals in the Bay)
 Volunteer projects
 Educating students and teachers about the Bay
 Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach opened in 2015
Is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated
solely to saving the Bay

We have discussed populations before so now we are going to discuss Human population.

Human Population
New Vocabulary Words: Hunter-Gatherer Society, Agricultural Society, Industrial Society, Industrial Revolution,
germ theory, urbanization, and arable land

History of Human populations

According to fossil records the first humans were found in South Africa more than 200,000 years ago. Homo
sapiens (Humans) appeared in Southeast Asia about 100,000 years ago and everywhere else roughly 40,000-
60,000 years ago.
 During an Ice Age roughly 60,000 years those in Russia and nearby areas crossed into Alaska since the
ocean was frozen.

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The Nile River is the second largest river in the world. Because of the fertile land and the abundant water supply
the Nile River valley area of Africa continuously has had a settlement there for over 5,000 years.

Human Societies
a. ___________________________________________________
 Is a society in which people gather natural food, hunt, and are ___________________
 Do not plant crops
 Do not attempt to control natural resources, live within the ability of the land to
sustain it
 Population density is ____________
 Small impact upon environment
b. _______________________________________________
 Began when people started to plant crops and raise animals for _____________
(roughly 10,000 years ago)
 People stopped roaming
 Work began to be ________________ among members of society
 Invention _________________________ enabled people to plant more land and grow
more food
 Human population began to grow
 Fewer people had to ____________
o Formed ______________ and began crafts and manufacturing goods
 Trade networks developed to move food into city and move goods out of the
city
 Agricultural society is one in which crops are grown and people have specialized roles
 Can sustain itself indefinitely if it lives within the limits of its environment
 Early societies harmed land, leading to desertification
o Logging, grazing, poor farming practices destroyed soil and vegetation
o Loss of vegetation changed patterns of rainfall
c. __________________________________________________
 Began in late 1700’s when machinery was invented that allowed more food to be
produced by fewer people
 Demanded large amounts of energy and resources
 Advances began to be accomplished in other areas
 Plants were bred to increase crop yield
o Genetic research
 Advancements were made in medicine
 Population began to grow quickly
 Has led to environmental damage
 Pollution
 Technology can be used to solve problems

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In the past 300 years population has grown because of the _____________________________________
 Technological advancements lead to increased food production, better distribution of products, safer
working conditions, and reduction of hours in the work day, better medical care, and better housing
conditions
 The __________________________________ helped physicians realize that diseases are caused by
bacteria and other microorganisms
o Led to improved hygiene methods, better waste disposal, and water treatment
 In 1873: _____________________________________ became the first woman to
graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Chemistry. Her research led to
the development of water quality standards in the USA. Her work helped reduce the
threat of diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery.
o Discovery of antibiotics and vaccines
o Death rate decreased especially in infants and children

Declines in Growth Rate

1. Disease
a. Bubonic plague (Black Death)-occurred in Central Europe and Asia in the 1300’s killing
over 25% of adult populations and in England over 50% -caused by rats
b. Yellow fever, malaria, cholera, typhus, and smallpox have all claimed hundreds of 1000’s
lives.
2. Famine
a. Irish Potato Famine of the 1840’s –over a million deaths due to potato crops being
destroyed due to a disease called potato blight (was the main food staple in Ireland)
b. China during 1876-1879 famine killed over 9 million people
3. Wars
4. The Great Depression (1929-1939)

Problems of Overpopulation
 Impacts the land
 Building dams-less farm land available (___________________________________)
 _______________________________-Moving from rural areas to the cities
o Big problem in the USA and China
 Pollution, disease overuse of resources, environmental damage are all issues
 Forcing people to limit family size is generally considered unethical
 China undertook this in the 1980s
o Only married couples could have children
o Young people were encouraged to wait for marriage by extra food, money, better
housing, free contraceptives, abortion, and sterilization
o Abortion was coerced among unmarried women and those have a third child
 Those with second children were socially ostracized

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  Education and providing birth control seems to be the answer
 Less –Developed Nations: Have much higher growth rates (accounts for 96 % of world
population)
 More-developed countries that are seeing high growth rates are due to immigration from less-
developed countries
o Social and religious issues must be considered
 Some countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia have death rates that exceed birth rates
 Threatens military and government

Age Structure Diagram (Review)

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