Importance Of Conserving Biodiversity Titles

Question 1

Why conserve biodiversity

8

Answer 1

Resources
Biomimetics 
Medicines
Physiological research
Pest control species
Genetic resources
Centre of diversity
Ecosystem services

Question 2

Resources

Answer 2

Wood - building tool funiture
Fibres - cotton, wool, silk, rayon
Fuel - wood, charcoal, alcohol, veg oil
Oil - food, lubricants, soaps
Food - plants, animal, fungi
New food species - indigenous species better adapted, selective breeding - potato bean N America protein content
Morama beans Southern Africa similar to soya and drought resistance

Question 3

Biomimetics

Answer 3

Use of knowledge adaptations of other species, improve design of manufactured items.
+ vehicle design
Wingtip soaring birds - aircraft wings
Humpback whale flippers tubercles on flippers - hydrodynamic efficiency - aerogenerator blades and rudder
Shark skin - aircraft and ships
+ infection control
Shark skin - bacterial infections
+ architecture
termite mounds solar driven ventilation
Light strong structural features bridges and roofs
+ adhesion
Gecko toes - glue
Burrs w hook shape seed - stick to fur Velcro
+Materials
Some natural materials - synthetic materials - lightweight flexible strong silk spiders - car airbags and humans

Question 4

Medicines

Answer 4

Plant defences alkaloids careful control - beneficial medicines effects in humans.
- poppies cultivated - painkillers, morphine and codiene
- aspirin - willow bark manufactured synthetically
- digitalis - fox gloves
Only small no. Investigated - conserve them!

Question 5

Physiological research

Answer 5

Some species evolved to be adapted to env conditions - greater understanding human health problems
+ marsupials birth young young dev. Pouch - study baby same age womb - understand development.
+ hippo skin secretes hipposudoric acid natural sunscreen - treatment burns victims

Question 6

Pests control species

Answer 6

Predators, herbivores, parasites and pathogens control ag. Pests

• ladybirds, ground beetles increase dutiable habitats ie hedgerows and beetle banks
• herbivous cactoblastis moth successfully introduced to Australia eradicate invasive prickly pear cactus introduced from S America

Question 7

Genetic resources

Answer 7

+ Crop breeding programmes
CWR species more genetic variation often vulnerable to env. Degradation. Desirable characteristics found in commercial varieties.
+ Characteristics introduced from CWR species
- disease resistance ( sugar cane - mosaic virus)
- salt tolerance ( rice and barley)
- resistance to drought (cacao)
- high yield ( palm oil yield ^ by 25% by cross-breeding w wild varieties found in central Africa)
- improved taste or appearance (selective breeding - pineapples)
- nutrient uptake - wheat cant make strong link w mycorrhizal fungi in soil absorb nutrients ie phosphates cross bred w wild species.

Question 8

Centres of diversity

Answer 8

Nikolai Vavilov crop genetics 1900s some areas of world had high conc. close relatives of important crop species. Centres diversity or vavilion centres threatened by env. Degradation.
+ Gene pool problems
No. Genes present - domesticated species small no. OG ancestors - lack variety less resistant env. Change + increase risk inbreeding and dangerous recessive genes cause problems.
Need conserve large gene pool of wild species conserved - genes unique to areas - wide range areas and environments conserved - not just where convenient.

Question 9

Ecosystem services

Answer 9

+ Atmospheric composition
+ The hydrological cycle - evapotranspiration from vegetation - control surface temp, and ^ precipitation.
+ Biogeochemical cycles - C, N + P cycles
+ Soil Maintenance
+ inter species relationships
+ food
+ pollination - Darwins Orchid Madagascar - Sphinx moth - specialised feeder for long tube pollen
+ seed dispersal
+ habitat provision