Describing biodiversity
Examples in context
Support materials only that illustrate some possible contexts for exploring Science as a Human Endeavour concepts in relation to Science Understanding content.
Technology as a tool to measure, analyse and monitor biodiversity
Developments in software, computing and supercomputing have been important in ecological classification as they have enabled scientists to classify regions according to large sets of biotic and abiotic data and to compare data over time (ACSBL010). Supercomputers have also enabled the development of large, complex models to analyse species data collected from multiple individuals in a range of locations, and to infer relationships between species, including their shared evolutionary past (ACSBL009). Advances in remote sensing radar imagery and satellite tracking in real time have enabled scientists to measure and monitor populations and play a significant role in surveying and monitoring large or inaccessible ecosystems.
International biodiversity protection
International agreements about biodiversity protection, such as the World Heritage Convention, are based on the premise that local, regional and international biodiversity represent a global resource, vital for human survival, that should be maintained for future generations (ACSBL008). The World Heritage Convention is designed to ensure the protection of natural and cultural heritage and encourage international cooperation in the conservation of biodiversity. Sites are selected as natural World Heritage based on a range of criteria, including, but not limited to, conservation of biodiversity (ACSBL011). Selected sites are monitored to ensure continued integrity, protection and management, including evaluation of projected economic, social and environmental impacts on the site (ACSBL014). Within the international scientific community, methods and findings related to biodiversity monitoring and analysis are shared through peer reviewed articles in international journals (ACSBL014).
Biodiversity targets
Setting agreed biodiversity targets has been proposed as one way to achieve positive international action towards biodiversity conservation and encourage accountability (ACSBL008). Setting such targets requires a broad range of scientific knowledge in gathering data, identifying indicators and ensuring that measurement is valid and reliable and will inform improved ecosystem management (ACSBL009). The 2010 Biodiversity Target was endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development and aimed to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional and national levels. Measurement of attainment of this target required international agreement regarding baseline data, acceptable timescales, acceptable rates and appropriate measures for monitoring and evaluating the rate of biodiversity loss (ACSBL008).
Biodiversity includes the diversity of species and ecosystems; measures of biodiversity rely on classification and are used to make comparisons across spatial and temporal scales
(ACSBL015)
Biological classification is hierarchical and based on different levels of similarity of physical features, methods of reproduction and molecular sequences
(ACSBL016)
Biological classification systems reflect evolutionary relatedness between groups of organisms
(ACSBL017)
Most common definitions of species rely on morphological or genetic similarity or the ability to interbreed to produce fertile offspring in natural conditions – but, in all cases, exceptions are found
(ACSBL018)
Ecosystems are diverse, composed of varied habitats and can be described in terms of their component species, species interactions and the abiotic factors that make up the environment
(ACSBL019)
Relationships and interactions between species in ecosystems include predation, competition, symbiosis and disease
(ACSBL020)
In addition to biotic factors, abiotic factors including climate and substrate can be used to describe and classify environments
(ACSBL021)
Ecosystem dynamics
Examples in context
Support materials only that illustrate some possible contexts for exploring Science as a Human Endeavour concepts in relation to Science Understanding content.
Indigenous knowledge of ecosystem interactions and change
Indigenous knowledge of environmental change and interactions between abiotic and biotic elements of ecosystems in local contexts has developed over thousands of years and provides valuable data for understanding ecosystem dynamics (ACSBL009). Some Indigenous knowledge is represented in Indigenous art and can include evidence of past biodiversity and climate change that supports data from the fossil record. Indigenous knowledge also includes land management practices that can maintain ecosystems at specific successional points. These practices are often used to complement practices in conservation areas, where land management decisions reflect scientific, social, cultural and ethical considerations (ACSBL011).
Marine reserves
Southeast Asia is a global epicentre for marine diversity; the establishment of marine reserves aims to contribute to the long-term conservation of marine ecosystems and protect marine biodiversity. Identification and classification of marine reserve areas requires consideration of enforcement logistics, the multiple uses of the area (for example, fishing, recreation, tourism), indigenous peoples’ usage rights, and the extent of the area required to contribute to local and global biodiversity conservation (ACSBL011). Scientific knowledge based on local data collection and analysis, computer simulation of future scenarios and analysis of analogous scenarios is required to analyse these factors, classify areas and predict the likelihood that the reserve will successfully protect marine biodiversity (ACSBL013).
Keystone species and conservation
The concept of a keystone species, a species that is particularly important in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, was first introduced by Robert T Paine in the late 1960s. Data supporting the theory has been collected by a large number of scientists from across a wide range of ecosystems and for a wide range of species (ACSBL009). Some biologists have advocated for keystone species to be special targets for conservation efforts and keystone species theory has informed many conservation strategies. However there are differing views about the effectiveness of single-species conservation (such as keystone species, flagship species or umbrella species) in maintaining complex ecosystem dynamics (ACSBL012).
The biotic components of an ecosystem transfer and transform energy originating primarily from the sun to produce biomass, and interact with abiotic components to facilitate biogeochemical cycling, including carbon and nitrogen cycling; these interactions can be represented using food webs, biomass pyramids, water and nutrient cycles
(ACSBL022)
Species or populations, including those of microorganisms, fill specific ecological niches; the competitive exclusion principle postulates that no two species can occupy the same niche in the same environment for an extended period of time
(ACSBL023)
Keystone species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of the community; the impact of a reduction in numbers or the disappearance of keystone species on an ecosystem is greater than would be expected based on their relative abundance or total biomass
(ACSBL024)
Ecosystems have carrying capacities that limit the number of organisms (within populations) they support, and can be impacted by changes to abiotic and biotic factors, including climatic events
(ACSBL025)
Ecological succession involves changes in the populations of species present in a habitat; these changes impact the abiotic and biotic interactions in the community, which in turn influence further changes in the species present and their population size
(ACSBL026)
Ecosystems can change dramatically over time; the fossil record and sedimentary rock characteristics provide evidence of past ecosystems and changes in biotic and abiotic components
(ACSBL027)
Human activities (for example, over-exploitation, habitat destruction, monocultures, pollution) can reduce biodiversity and can impact on the magnitude, duration and speed of ecosystem change
(ACSBL028)
Models of ecosystem interactions (for example, food webs, successional models) can be used to predict the impact of change and are based on interpretation of and extrapolation from sample data (for example, data derived from ecosystem surveying techniques); the reliability of the model is determined by the representativeness of the sampling
(ACSBL029)