Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth. It exists at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. The Philippines has high biodiversity due to its many endemic species found nowhere else. However, biodiversity faces threats like habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. Conservation efforts include laws to sustainably use and share benefits from biodiversity.

1. BIODIVERSITY
STS Module 8

2. Objectives
After reading and doing the tasks in this module, you should be able to
A. Cite benefits of biodiversity
B. Discuss how anthropogenic activities threaten biodiversity
C. Draw a diagram showing the link between S&T, biodiversity and society’s
worldview
D. Propose actions to mitigate biodiversity loss

3. Warm-Up

4. DISCUSSION

5. WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?

6. Biodiversity
• Term coined byWG Rosen in 1985
• “the variety among living organisms, which includes animals,
plants, microbes and the habitats of which they are a part”
(National Geographic Society)
• Defined by Convention on Biological Diversity as, “the variability
among living organisms from all sources…”

7. Levels of Biodiversity
1. Genetic Diversity – variability within the same species

8. Levels of Biodiversity
2. Species Diversity – variety of different species within an area
Ex. A forest has more species diversity compared to same area of coconut
plantation
a. Species Richness – number of species that live in a certain area
b. Species evenness – even distribution of organisms in a place

9. Levels of Biodiversity
2. Species Diversity – variety of different species within an area

10. Levels of Biodiversity
3. Ecosystem Diversity – different types of
communities of organisms interacting with
their physical environment. Also includes
ecosystems whether managed or unmanaged
a. Aquatic ecosystems – coral reefs,
mangrove forests, estuaries
b. Terrestrial ecosystems – deserts, forests,
grasslands, tundra, savannah

11. WHAT ARETHE
BENEFITS OF
BIODIVERSITY?

12. Benefits of Biodiversity
1. Natural resources
• Food,
• Shelter and Clothing,
• Medicine and Drugs,
• Industrial raw materials,
• Germplasm and Genetic stocks
2. Natural services- cleaning air, purifying water, regulating climate
3. Aesthetic and recreational benefits – Natural landscapes in undisturbed
places

13. Philippine Biodiversity
The Philippines is one of the 18 mega-bio-diverse countries in the world
Philippines is also considered a “biodiversity superstar”
It is believed that the degree of endemism in its many islands is high
Endemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic
location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type

14. PhilippineTerrestrial Biodiversity
Nepenthes copelandii
(Copeland’s Pitcher Plant)
- Native in Mindanao
- Grows in Mt Apo and Mt
Pasian in Davao
Cinnamomum cebuense
(the Cebu Cinnamon tree)
- Species of cinnamon
endemic to Cebu
- Can be found also in
Camotes and Siquijor
Sundasciurus samarensis
-Species of rodent in the
Sciuridae family
-Samar Squirrel
Ceyx melanurus
-Philippine dwarf
kingfisher
- A species of bird in
the Alcedinidae
family

15. Philippine Marine Biodiversity
Philippines Fourth National Report to the
Convention on Biological Diversity (2009):
In the Philippines there are “468 scleractinian
associated fishes, 648 species of mollusks, 19
seagrass and 820 species of algae (Fishbase
NFRDI-PAWB, 2005)”“Fishbase records indicate
harbors about 3,212 fish species (list still
which are considered commercially
has the second highest seagrass diversity in the
only to Australia.
-Haribon Foundation

16. • Philippines is considered as
biodiversity hotspot because it
continues to experience alarming
rate of destruction of its natural
resources

17. Bubalus mindorensis (Tamaraw)
- Dwarf buffalo that lives in Mindoro
- A century ago, they number at 10,000;
- Today, there are less than 200 remaining
Areca ipot
- Stocky tree with deep
orange fruit
- Nuts are used for betel-
chewing
- Threatened due to over
collection for
ornamental purposes
Sardinella tawilis
- Only freshwater sardine
found only in LakeTaal

18. Threats to Biodiversity
• Biodiversity is an indicator of an ecosystem’s resilience
• The more diverse the species in an area, the more they can withstand stress
• When an ecosystem is left alone in its natural condition, diversity is sustained
• When ecosystem is disturbed, diversity tends to decline

19. Threats to Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss or destruction (ex. Pithecopaga jefferyi or Philippine Monkey-Eating
Eagle)

20. Threats to Biodiversity
2. Overexploitation of resources

21. Threats to Biodiversity
3. Invasive Alien Species

22. Threats to Biodiversity
4. Pollution

23. Threats to Biodiversity
5. Climate change • “Driving forces of Philippine CO2
emissions are revealed using
LMDI approach.
• About half of the increase in
CO2 emissions are due to
economic growth.
• Sudden shifts in energy
structure significantly increase
CO2 emissions.”
(Sumabat, A., et.al, 2015)

24. How can biotechnology help the study
and conservation of biodiversity?
1. Molecular markers can be used to study or to identify species.
2. Genetic markers can be used in plant and animal breeding.
3. Plant and animal cell and tissue culture can rescue endangered species.
4. Cryopreservation technology can store germplasm indefinitely.

25. Law and Regulations on Biodiversity
• The goal is local, national, and international level of saving biodiversity in a
sustainable and equitable way
• 1992 Rio Earth Summit hosted the Convention on Biological Diversity
1. Conservation with emphasis on in-situ conservation of ecosystems
2. Sustainable use of components of biodiversity in promoting development
practices
3. Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources

26. Photo Credits
• Slide 7:
• Slide
8:https://bio.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_California_Davis/BIS_2B%3A_Introduction_to_Biology_
-_Ecology_and_Evolution/2%3A_Biodiversity/2.2_Measuring_Species_Diversity
• Slide 10: https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/meaning-of-biodiversity-1440148279-1Slide 12:
• Slide 12, 13,16,: https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_18
• Slide 21:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Triangle
• Slide 25: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/10/18/phls-natural-resources-near-brink-of-depletion/
• Slide 25: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1116421
• Slide 27: NAST Philippines
• Slide 28:https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/09/24/1742193/philippines-third-worst-polluter-oceans-
report-says

27. References
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.12.023
• https://haribon.org.ph/philippine-marine-biodiversity-a-brief-
profile/#:~:text=In%20the%20Philippines%20there%20are,incomplet
• https://www.esa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/biodiversity.pdf
• https://repository.seafdec.org.ph/bitstream/handle/10862/2511/AFNv12n03_pp02-
03.pdf
• https://eatlas.org.au/content/what-
biodiversity#:~:text=Genetic%20Diversity%20is%20the%20diversity,populations
%20of%20the%20same%20species).&text=Species%20Diversity%20is%20simpl
y%20the,population%2C%20ecosystem%2C%20Earth).
• https://www.icr.org/article/mechanisms-adaptation-biology-genetic/