Introduction to Biodiversity and Invasive Species in Pennsylvania

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Introduction to Biodiversity and Invasive Species
in Pennsylvania
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Biodiversity

• Total number of types of species and their
  genetic diversity within a habitat
• Genetic diversity is the variety in the genetic
  makeup among individuals within a single species

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Importance of Biodiversity

• Medicinal Purposes
• 25 of medicine comes from substances extracted
  from the natural world
• More than 3,000 antibiotics including Penicillin
  are derived from micro-organisms found in the
  environment
• Economic
• 15 billion worth of prescription drugs are sold
  annually in the United States
• 75 of the worlds staple crops are pollinated by
  bees, birds, and butterflies
• Aesthetic Value
• Ecosystem Functions
• Clean Water, Soil and Air

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Reasons for the Decline in Biodiversity

• Loss of habitat is currently the main reason for
  the decline in biodiversity
• Habitat can be loss do to fragmentation
• Mining
• Urban Sprawl
• Biodiversity can also decline due to the
  simplification of a habitat by invasive or exotic
  species
• Another reason for loss of biodiversity is
  over-exploitation (over-harvesting) of species

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Think

• What are characteristics of biodiversity
• hot spots?
• High amounts of moisture
• Warm temperatures
• What are some biodiversity
• hotspots?
• Rain Forests
• Coral Reefs
• What kinds of places are not hot spots?
• Deserts
• Tundra
• How many different types of ecosystems do you
  think PA has?
• 8
• Water, evergreen, mixed, deciduous, transitional,
  perennial, annual herbaceous, barren

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Do you know what a native species is?

• Can you give any examples?

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Native Species

• Definition - A species which has evolved to adapt
  to specific conditions in a particular region
• Species native to PA include the black bear,
  white-tailed deer, and hemlock tree
• Native species can be negatively affected by
  introduced (exotic) species

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Do you know what the difference between an exotic
species and a native species is?

• Can you think of examples of each?

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Exotic Species

• Definition - Exotic species are species that have
  moved into a region that they are not native to
• usually in that region due to human actions
• Common examples in PA include Multiflora Rose and
  Gypsy Moths

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Invasive Species

• An exotic or native specie that causes harm to
  some aspect of the pre-existing ecosystem
• Are often looked at as pests or weeds

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More about Exotics

• Exotics can be transported intentional as well as
  passively
• Intentional transport is the intentional
  introduction of exotic species into the wild that
  possess the potential to become invasive
• An example is the introduction of a plant for any
  reason such as remediation, erosion control or
  for ornamentation
• Passive transport is the accidental introduction
  of exotic species, through the act of carrying
  seeds, spores, or the actual organism to another
• A common example is the attachment of organisms
  to the bottom of a boat such as the zebra mussel
  in Lake Erie

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Any Questions?