Chapter 1 Biodiversity: Learning Outcomes

CHAPTER 1 BIODIVERSITY
Learning Outcomes:
1. To learn about the diversity of organisms

2. To learn about the classification of organisms
1.1 Diversity of Organisms
What is biodiversity?
1. All living things are known as organisms.
2. Biodiversity is the variety of living things that exist on Earth, which consist of
plants, animals and microorganisms.
How does biodiversity exist?

1. Biodiversity exists due to the variety of habitats and climates on Earth.
2. Habitat is the natural home of an organism, in which animals and plants can
adapt to survive in their respective habitats.
3. Scientists estimate that there are roughly 13 million species of animals and
plants. However, there are only 1.7 million species that have been identified
and given names systematically.
4. Malaysia is known for her endemic species that are almost extinct on Earth
surface.
Rafflesia
Sumatera Tapir
Rhinoceros
Hornbill
Orang Utan Pitcher Plant
Figure 1.1 Endemic species in Malaysia

Importance of biodiversity
Food
sources
Oxygen and
carbon Balance in
dioxide nature
balance
Importance Recreational
Temperature and
control of ecotourism
Biodiversity areas
Education Medical
Raw
materials
for
industries
1. Living organisms interact with each other and their surroundings through the
processes of photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration and decomposition of
dead organism.
2. Hence, the cycles of nature such as oxygen cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle
and water cycle are maintained through those processes. It forms a balanced
environment.
Effective biodiversity management
1. Human uses natural resources every day. Thus, human needs to manage
biodiversity well to ensure the existing flora and fauna on Earth are protected
and do not become extinct.
2. Examples of human activities that can threaten the environment:
i. Deforestation without control
ii. Pollutions of air and water
iii. Illegal hunting to get valuable animals
iv. Excessive usage of chemicals such as pesticides, inorganic chemicals and
insecticides.
Steps to protect biodiversity
Through Education Set up protected areas for organisms

•Carry out awareness campaigns about •Establish rehabilitation centres for
the importance of conservation and endemic species
preservation of organisms through mass •Establish national parks, forest reserves,
media marine parks and wild life sanctuaries.
Steps to protect
biodiversity
Managing the environment wisely Through legislation

•Cutting only selected big and mature •Taking legal action against those who
trees carry out illegal hunting or logging
•Replanting new trees
•Restoring damaged habitats
1.2 Classification of Organisms
Classification of animals
1. Animals can be classified into two groups: vertebrates and invertebrates.
Animals
Vertebrates
Invertebrates
Mammals Birds Fish Amphibian Reptiles
Has no
Has legs
legs
three more has no

pairs of than three has shell
shell
legs pairs of
legs
Figure 1.2 The map of classification of animals
Vertebrates
1. Vertebrates are animals with a backbone.
2. Vertebrates are bigger in sizes than invertebrates.
3. The common characteristics of vertebrates include:
 Warm-blooded or cold-blooded
 Types of lining of the body
 Types of respiration
 Methods of reproduction
 Types of fertilisation
Mammals Bird Fish Amphibian Reptiles
e.g. e.g. e.g. e.g. e.g.
Warm-blooded Warm-blooded Cold-blooded Cold-blooded Cold-blooded

Has hair/fur Has feathers Has slimy scales Has moist skin Has dry, scaly
(except anteater) skins
Give birth to young Lay eggs with Lay eggs Lay eggs Lay eggs with
(except platypus) shell without shell without shell shell
Internal Internal External External Internal
fertilisation fertilisation fertilisation fertilisation fertilisation
Homeothermic Homeothermic Poikilothermic Poikilothermic Poikilothermic
Breathe with lung Breathe with Breathe with The young Breathe with
lung gills breathe through lung
gills.
The adults
breathe with
lung when on
land and
through skin in
water.
Table 1.1 Classification of vertebrates based on their characteristics
Invertebrates
1. Invertebrates are animals without a backbone.
2. Most invertebrates are small in size and have a simple structure, but they
comprises of more than 95% of animal species.
3. Invertebrates can be divided into two: animals with legs and without legs.
Invertebrates with legs
Characteristics:
- Have segmented bodies
- Have hard outer shells (exoskeleton)
1. Three pairs of legs 2. More than three pairs of legs

 Cockroach  Spider
 Ant  Centipede
 Grasshopper  Prawn
Invertebrates without legs

Characteristics:
- Some have segmented bodies; some have unsegment bodies
- Some have shells; some do not have shells
1. Segmented body 2. Unsegment body

 Tapeworm  Jellyfish
 Earthworm  Starfish
 Leech  Snail
Table 1.2 Invertebrates

Classification of Plants
Plants
Flowering Non-flowering
Produce Reproduce
Reproduce Does not
flowers for through spores
through seeds produce flowers
reproduction or seeds in cone
Flowering Plant
Monocotyledons
• Seed with one cotyledon
• Leaves with parallel veins
• Soft and non-woody stems
• Petals in multiples of three
• Fibrous root
• Examples: Coconut tree, orchid plant, sugarcane plant, paddy
plant, banana plant and oil palm tree.
Dicotyledons
• Seed with two cotyledon
• Leafs with network-like veins
• Hard and woody stem
• Petals in multiples of four or five
• Tap root
• Examples: Rambutan tree, rose plant, sunflower plant, balsam
plant, rubber tree and papaya tree.
Monocotyledons:
Dicotyledons:
Non-flowering Plant
Non-flowering
plants
With vascular Without vascular
Fern Conifer
Moss
- Reproduce by spores - Reproduce by seeds in
- Reproduce by spores
- Have leaves, stems and cone
- No real leaves, stems
root - Have leaves like
and roots
- E.g. Aspelenium needles, stem and roots
- E.g. Marchantia sp.
bulbiferum sp. - E.g. Pine tree
Dichotomous key
1. A method that is used to identity and classify organisms according to their
similarities and differences for the systematic study of biodiversity.
2. Example of dichotomous key:
 Dichotomous key for animals
Starfish Spider Ant Butterfly Snail
1. (a) With legs --------------------------------------------- 2

(b) Without legs ----------------------------------------- 4
2. (a) Has three pairs of legs ------------------------------ 3

(b) Has more than three pairs of legs ----------------- Spider
3. (a) With wings ------------------------------------------- Butterfly
(b) Without wings --------------------------------------- Ant
4. (a) With shell -------------------------------------------- Snail

(b) Without shell ---------------------------------------- Starfish
 Dichotomous key for plants
Ferns Mosses Paddy Hibiscus
1. (a) Flowering ------------------------------------------ 2

(b) Non-flowering ------------------------------------ 3
2. (a) Monocotyledon ----------------------------------- Paddy

(b) Dicotyledon --------------------------------------- Hibiscus
3. (a) Vascular ------------------------------------------- Ferns

(b) Non-vascular ------------------------------------- Mosses

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CHAPTER 1 BIODIVERSITY

1. To learn about the diversity of organisms

1.1 Diversity of Organisms

How does biodiversity exist?

Orang Utan Pitcher Plant

Figure 1.1 Endemic species in Malaysia

Steps to protect biodiversity

Through Education Set up protected areas for organisms

Managing the environment wisely Through legislation

three more has no

Figure 1.2 The map of classification of animals

Warm-blooded Warm-blooded Cold-blooded Cold-blooded Cold-blooded

1. Three pairs of legs 2. More than three pairs of legs

Invertebrates without legs

1. Segmented body 2. Unsegment body

Table 1.2 Invertebrates

With vascular Without vascular

 Dichotomous key for animals

Starfish Spider Ant Butterfly Snail

1. (a) With legs --------------------------------------------- 2

2. (a) Has three pairs of legs ------------------------------ 3

4. (a) With shell -------------------------------------------- Snail

 Dichotomous key for plants

Ferns Mosses Paddy Hibiscus

1. (a) Flowering ------------------------------------------ 2

2. (a) Monocotyledon ----------------------------------- Paddy

3. (a) Vascular ------------------------------------------- Ferns

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