Environmental Studies
INDEX
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Introduction
Biodiversity is the variety of life for different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Our survival totally depends on biodiversity, as only one missing link in the food chain can disturb the whole food chain and can create undesirable changes in our ecosystem. As human beings are dependent on ecosystem for food, water and clean air hence slight alterations in the biodiversity can unbalance the ecosystem. These slight alterations are caused by human interference in the ecosystems, which had increased the extinction rate considerably. If no proper steps are taken to stop this interference, then the sixth mass extinction awaits in near future.
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Biodiversity
It is a combination of the words biological and diversity. The term refers to the diversity of living beings in the world. The current definition of biodiversity can be given as "the sum total of all biotic variation from the level of genes of ecosystem (A. Le Broque, 2007).
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Three distinct levels of biodiversity
The variety of life is expressed in a multiplicity of ways. This variety can begin to be made distinguishing between different key elements. These are the basic building blocks of biodiversity. They can be divided into three groups.
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Genetic diversity
It encompasses the components of the genetic coding that structures organisms and variation in the genetic make-up between individuals within a population and between populations (K.J. Gaston J.I., Spicer 2004).
This is the variety of combinations possible at the molecular level and is represented by all the possibilities in the coding of the very complex DNA molecule. That gives rise to all the variations in colors or size or all the other slight differences that make individuals within...
More Engineering
essays:
Modeling to Produce Music
... domain operation carried on musical soundsignals, in this operation the basic building block is a delay. It is composed ofdensely packed echoes. Digital ...
Carry Ripple Adder
... in multiplication: since multiplication can be replaced by 'shift & add' operations. That is why adders are one of the most basic and important building blocks used ... a chain, and enable the proper addition the bits. Building both ...
Oil in america
... the proper nutrition to these animals.(Wheelwright,23) The biggest loss is the crustacean population. There was a decrease in the larvae that these creatures produce and it lowers their reproduction. This stops our own food chain. These ...
Water engineering
... economic value of freshwater ecosystems, including their fisheries wildlife habitats, recreation and natural flood control. (Source:C.Booth 2007, Global water sources, distribution, supply and demand)Some water resources:Glaciers and icecaps, not accessible for humansGround ...
The feasibility of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion in Australia
... plant cells. This permits the disease-free culture of sensitive organisms and the production of pure plant cultures without interference from competing species (occes Co-products). The cold seawater contains ...
Self-Assembling Circuits Using DNA, The Next Computer Breakthrough
... miniaturizing computer components. Scientists have come up with the next step which could completely change technology as we know it. The alternative is using biology ... that large-scale DNA computers and technology is in the future. With the DNA self-assembly process, computing power of up ...
Earth Moving Equipment
... to build the level car park. The special task of this machine is digging. In the early age when the human tools are just the picks, shovels. With the basic tools ... load the dirt and ship it away. With the quick change system, the loader can transform from the loader to the ...
Gold mining notes
... I. Mudden, 2005). Biodegradation takes place when anaerobic and aerobic micro-organisms are used to break down the cyanide into less toxic ... by humans; thought to be the first metal used by humans. This precious metal was valued for its ornamental value and ...