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The wealth of nature

Source: https://unsplash.com/, licencja: CC 0.

Link to the lesson

Before you start you should know
  • conservation of biological diversity is in the common interest of all the people;

  • international cooperation has significant importance in conservation of biological diversity;

  • sustainable development is supposed to ensure proper standard of life for modern societes and make it possible for the future generations to use the natural resources.

You will learn
  • to characterize levels of biological diversity;

  • to provide examples of threats to biodiversity;

  • to describe methods of nature conservation.

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Nagranie abstraktu

Levels of biodiversity

Earth's biodiversity is the effect of existence of large amounts of spieces consisting of diverse individuals, which live in various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Genetic diversity within spieces or population depends on the number of different alleles of the given gene. Species diversityspecies diversitySpecies diversity, in turn, results from historical factors – evolutionary and modern changes – existence of climate zones, diverisfied terrains, as well as the relations between living elements of ecosystems. Currently, the biodiversity is mainly affected by the human activity.

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Levels of biodiversity
Source: Tomorrow Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY 3.0.
Task 1

Explain what species diversity is and describe factors that determine it.

Threats to biodiversity and extinction of species

In the history of the Earth several times there was a phenomenon of natural extinction of species, caused by climate changes or sudden volcanic eruptions and asteroid impacts. The extinction of species is an ongoing process which started around 10,000 years ago. The main factor causing it is human activity.

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Threats to biodiversity
Source: Dariusz Adryan, licencja: CC BY 3.0.

Conservation of nature

The existence of each species, including the human species, depends on the preservation of its genetic diversity. The aim of the nature conservation is to preserve natural ecological and evolutionary processes, to preserve diversity of organisms as well as optimal conditions for their life, to rationally use natural resources and to preserve the beauty of the landscape. Nature conservation activities are aimed at recreating or multiplying natural elements destroyed or changed by human activity.

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Methods of nature protection
Source: Dariusz Adryan, licencja: CC BY 3.0.
Task 2

Nature conservation requires high levels of financial resources from the national and local governments. Do you think it is worth spending so much on the conservation of nature? Justify your opinion.

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Ilustracja przedstawia fotografie zwierząt i roślin: 1. Tree frog , 2. European crayfish , 3. Mountain Apollo , 4. Siberian iris , 5. Carlina onopordifolia , 6. Pheasant's eye , 7. Black grouse , 8. Siberian tiger , 9. Polar bear
Selected animals and plants
Source: Arturo de Frias Marques, BVA, Chrumps, Frank Vassen, Hectonichus, Kor!An (Андрей Корзун), Pryma, Tomasz Bienias, GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Exercise 1
Ćwiczenie przyporządkuj elementy. Move each of the following items to the appropriate group. genetic diversity Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. existence of many species in given ecosystem, 2. existence of a few alleles of the same genes, 3. diversification of natural habitats, 4. the high level of heterozygosity in a population, 5. climate diversity of biomes, 6. diversification of ecosystems within one biome, 7. diversification of phenotypic features in a population, 8. emergence of new species from isolated populations. species diversity Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. existence of many species in given ecosystem, 2. existence of a few alleles of the same genes, 3. diversification of natural habitats, 4. the high level of heterozygosity in a population, 5. climate diversity of biomes, 6. diversification of ecosystems within one biome, 7. diversification of phenotypic features in a population, 8. emergence of new species from isolated populations. ecosystem diversity Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. existence of many species in given ecosystem, 2. existence of a few alleles of the same genes, 3. diversification of natural habitats, 4. the high level of heterozygosity in a population, 5. climate diversity of biomes, 6. diversification of ecosystems within one biome, 7. diversification of phenotypic features in a population, 8. emergence of new species from isolated populations
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Exercise 2
Ćwiczenie wskaż poprawne odpowiedzi. Select in the list below all the activities which purpose is protection of nature. Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. maintaining natural ecological and evolutionary processes, 2. genetic modification of organisms which increases their resistance to unfavorable conditions, 3. preservation of diversity of organisms and optimal living conditions, 4. rational use of natural resources and preservation of the beauty of the landscape, 5. reconstruction or multiplication of elements of nature which were destroyed or changed by human activity, 6. creation of artificial ecosystems strictly controlled by human
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Exercise 3
Ćwiczenie połącz w pary. Match the form of nature protection to activities undertaken within its framework. passive protection Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. complete cessation of all human activities in the ecosystem or community, 2. activities to preserve the natural component in its natural occurrence, 3. undertaking necessary activities improving the status of protected ecosystems or communities, 4. transfer of the endangered place of nature to a safe post that ensures appropriate living conditions. active protection Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. complete cessation of all human activities in the ecosystem or community, 2. activities to preserve the natural component in its natural occurrence, 3. undertaking necessary activities improving the status of protected ecosystems or communities, 4. transfer of the endangered place of nature to a safe post that ensures appropriate living conditions. in situ protection Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. complete cessation of all human activities in the ecosystem or community, 2. activities to preserve the natural component in its natural occurrence, 3. undertaking necessary activities improving the status of protected ecosystems or communities, 4. transfer of the endangered place of nature to a safe post that ensures appropriate living conditions. ex situ protection Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. complete cessation of all human activities in the ecosystem or community, 2. activities to preserve the natural component in its natural occurrence, 3. undertaking necessary activities improving the status of protected ecosystems or communities, 4. transfer of the endangered place of nature to a safe post that ensures appropriate living conditions.

Keywords

species diversity, in situ protection, ex situ protection

Glossary

passive protection
passive protection
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka passive protection

ochrona bierna – ochrona ścisła w odniesieniu do ekosystemów; zupełne i stałe zaniechanie jakiejkolwiek działalności człowieka, mające na celu zachowanie naturalnego przebiegu procesów przyrodniczych

active protection
active protection
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka active protection

ochrona czynna – ochrona częściowa w odniesieniu do ekosystemów, dopuszczanie ingerencji człowieka w przyrodę obszaru chronionego w celu zachowania chronionego ekosystemu lub jego wybranych składników w optymalnym stanie albo przywrócenia go do stanu pożądanego

ex situ protection
ex situ protection
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka

ochrona ex situ – ochrona dziko żyjących gatunków roślin, zwierząt i grzybów poza miejscem ich naturalnego występowania, polegająca na przeniesieniu zagrożonych organizmów na miejsce, w którym można zapewnić im trwałe i bezpieczne bytowanie oraz warunki umożliwiające zwiększenie liczebności

in situ protection
in situ protection
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka

ochrona in situ – ochrona dziko żyjących gatunków roślin, zwierząt i grzybów w miejscu ich naturalnego występowania poprzez działania mające na celu zachowanie ich siedlisk i umożliwienie zwiększenia liczebności

species diversity
species diversity
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka species diversity

różnorodność gatunkowa – jeden z poziomów różnorodności biologicznej; liczba gatunków w danym ekosystemie lub na danym obszarze