a. Define biodiversity b. Explain how species diversity arises Explain how species diversity arises c. Explain the patterns of biodiversity on Earth d. List several regions of high biodiversity e. Define evolution.

This week we are doing an assignment on teach back and I have chosen Biodiversity. I have found some great information on biodiversity but before I can go any further I need to understand what biodiversity is.

What is biodiversity? Biodiversity means the diversity, or variety, of plants and animals and other living things in a particular area or region Biodiversity may also mean the number, or abundance of different species living within a particular region. There are three kinds of biodiversity that are there to preserve our systems. First we the genetic diversity, species diversity, and lastly the ecological diversity.

When looking at on how the species in diversity arise we would look at the surrounding areas and the climate that affect the species. There are many species in the ecosystem and when something such as climate change you will have a problem in your food change, water sours. When this happens it will be harder for the species to survive since they are being deprived.

The patterns of biodiversity begin with community structure, which begin with the climate and ecosystems. There is a list of patterns that affect the earth of biodiversity; there are hotspots as they are called and cold spots (high and low). Along with the patterns there are the relationships between local and regional species as well as the environmental conditions (longitude, bays, and peninsulas).

Regions with high biodiversity are important due to the high vulnerability of habitats and high irreplaceability of species found within large geographic regions. Areas that have high biodiversity are areas such as the rainforest, Amazonia, the Congo forests of Central Africa, woodlands of Southern Africa (including the Okavango Delta), and the North American desert complex of northern Mexico and the Southwestern part of United States.

To define evolutions is the gradual change in the characteristics of a population of animals or plants over successive generations. Another term is a gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form.
I found this to be a great example of evolution (The process by which species of organisms arise from earlier life forms and undergo change over time through natural selection. The modern understanding of the origins of species is based on the theories of Charles Darwin)
Reference
Cunningham, W.P. and Cunningham M.A. (2013). Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications. (7th ed.).
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/history_14