Cosmos Magazine - Issue 33 - Edith Cowan University

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istockphoto 303ECU5252 CRICOS IPC 00279B Cosmos teaCher’s notes issue 33 Biodiversity hotspots were first defined by norman myers in 1988 to help society decide which areas needed conversation attention the most urgently. To be counted as a hotspot, a region must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants that don't occur anywhere else on Earth, and it has to have lost at least 70% of its habitat. There are 34 hotspots recognised by Conservation International. over 50% of the world’s plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrate species are only found in these hotspots, which combined only cover 2.3% of the Earth's land surface. Why Do We WAnt to MAIntAIn BIoDIversIty? • Natural products/ economic reasons most of the products that we use everyday and everything that we eat relies on biodiversity – the variety of different crop strains ensure that we have food even when certain plants are struggling. These crops also feed livestock that we rely on for dairy and meat. We also need plants and animals for fertilisers, oils, body products and even the air we breathe – without green plants there would be no oxygen in our atmosphere. • Medicines many plant species are used in our medicines and supplements, and scientists are constantly learning from the way that animals stay healthy. Being able to study the dnA of different species also helps researchers understand which traits are controlled by which genes, leading to new treatments for genetic conditions. • Culture/spirituality Animals and plants are very prominent in our history, art and music. If many of the species that help us to connect with the planet suddenly became extinct it would affect a great number of people and alter their perception of the world around us. • recreation We rely on biodiversity for a number of activities, such as bushwalking, fishing, birdwatching and scuba diving. • Scientific Knowledge We learn about the world by studying it – many of the great discoveries have been as a result of observations take your career to new heights With its unprecedented expansion in recent years, the global aviation industry is, quite literally, taking off. And as the only university in WA to offer Aviation courses, ECU can now help you qualify for your chosen aviation career path – either as a pilot or in one of many non-flying fields, such as aviation management, safety, training, flight planning and flight operations. And now, with the introduction of the Graduate Diploma of Flying (which can be studied concurrently with the Bachelor of Aviation), you may even have access to the Commonwealth FEE-HELP program to support your flying training fees. This allows you to complete all your flying training to the level of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence and Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating while studying at ECU. You could be ready to begin your career as a pilot straight after graduation – within just three years! Start the journey and reach your potential. Call 134 ECU (134 328), email futurestudy@ecu.edu.au or visit reachyourpotential.com.au introduCtion
Cosmos teaCher’s notes issue 33 of nature. For example, where would the theory of natural selection have been without darwin's finches, and would newton have thought about gravity in the same way without seeing the apple fall? Scientists are still learning a lot from the species we share the planet with, such as how to create stronger materials by observing how spiders make such resilient webs. Why Are We LosIng BIoDIversIty? Extinction is the greatest threat to biodiversity, because once extinct, a species and all of its genetic variation is lost forever. Extinction is a natural process, but there is concern that human impact is causing species to disappear 1,000 to 10,000 times more quickly than they would without our interference. The extinction rate at the moment is the most rapid since the period that brought about the end of the dinosaurs. Two main reasons for species loss are habitat destruction and climate change. habitat destruction doesn't just leave animals with nowhere to live - it also interferes with food webs and entire ecosystems. Climate change is causing temperatures to increase and altering rainfall patterns. As a result, animals' environments are changing and many are forced to find new areas to live. hoW Are We proteCtIng BIoDIversIty? There are many conservation programs operating around the world, such as marine reserves and national parks. however, many biodiversity hotspots are in developing countries or areas of conflict, where spending money on conservation is not the first priority. many people believe that until we can learn to live more sustainably and reduce our impact on the planet, we will continue to put species at risk. 2. soAk It up! (LIterACy ACtIvIty) ACtIvIty 1 Complete the Biodiversity Quiz in Appendix A to find out what you already know. ACtIvIty 2 Create a glossary. Use the table in Appendix B to define any science words that are related to this article. ACtIvIty 3 summarise the article. Students make predictions and then read the article using the scaffolding in Appendix C. ACtIvIty 4 Using a question builder, students design a number of questions about biodiversity and then try to answer them. our question builder in Appendix d is adapted from: langrehr, john. (2002) 'Question Time for the Gifted' Gifted july, 124, 12-14. 3 eCu open DAys Welcome to your future. We predict one where you realise your potential and land the job of your dreams. Sound exciting? We want to share your journey – so why not take the first steps by attending one of ECU’s open days? If you’ve got questions about courses, careers or what life’s really like at uni, don’t miss ECU open day. It’s the day we open our doors to everyone and it's your chance to chat, explore, watch, listen or just soak up the atmosphere, in the company of future, present and past ECU students as well as highly-qualified lecturers and staff. Sunday, 18 July 10 am – 3 pm joondalup Campus Sunday, 25 July 10 am – 3 pm mount lawley Campus pop these dates in your diary and visit www.reachyourpotential.com.au/openday for updates as more information becomes available! istockphoto introduCtion
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Cosmos Magazine - Issue 33 - Edith Cowan University

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