The Philippines is one of the 17 mega biodiverse countries, containing two-thirds of the Earth’s biodiversity and 70 percent of world’s plants and animal species due to its geographical isolation, diverse habitats and high rates of endemism.
What makes Philippine Biodiversity unique?
The Philippines is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with at least 700 threatened species, thus making it one of the top global conservation areas. … This unique biodiversity is supported by a large variety of ecosystems, landscapes and habitats, most of which are also greatly threatened by human activities.
Why is Philippines considered to be a biodiversity hotspot?
Philippines: A Biodiversity Hotspot
It is considered to be a mega – diversity country because of the exceptional diversity in ecosystems, species and genetic resources found within its 7,100 island territory. … The overexploitation of natural resources, reduced the forests to an alarming 24% from its original cover.
What place in the Philippines that has rich biodiversity?
As a result, Palawan not only showcases many of the flora and fauna associated with the rest of the Philippines, but also has many birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, trees and plants found on the island of Borneo.
What can you say about the richness of biodiversity in the Philippines?
Of the estimated 7,620 species of plants documented in the country, 5,832 are believed to be endemic. This puts the Philippines the 23rd ranking in the world and the 6th ranking in Southeast Asia in terms of plant diversity. … There are three major reasons why these species of living things are important to us.
What are the 6 main threats to biodiversity?
6 Main Threats to Biodiversity – Explained!
- Human Activities and Loss of Habitat: …
- Deforestation: …
- Desertification: …
- Marine Environment: …
- Increasing Wildlife Trade: …
- Climate Change:
How do we protect Philippine biodiversity?
216,744
- Conserve biodiversity in forest areas and reduce forest degradation in priority watersheds.
- Build capacity to manage forest areas at the national and sub-national levels.
- Strengthen disaster-risk reduction programs.
What is the greatest threat to Philippine biodiversity?
The continuing habitat degradation and forestland conversion are major threats to Philippine biodiversity. These are attributed primarily to large-scale and indiscriminate logging and mining, burgeoning human population, overharvesting of resources, and infrastructure development.
Why is biodiversity important to humans?
Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food production, as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all crops, livestock, and marine species harvested for food.
What is the greatest threat humans pose to biodiversity?
Habitat loss is the single greatest threat to biodiversity on Earth today and in fact it is the second largest threat to our existence on this planet next to Climate Change.
What is the ecosystem in the Philippines?
Among the natural ecosystems are forest, grassland and coastal zone ecosystems. In the Philippines, the primary forests in the lowlands include mangrove forests, dipterocarp forests and molave forests.
Is Philippines a country?
Philippines, island country of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets lying about 500 miles (800 km) off the coast of Vietnam. Manila is the capital, but nearby Quezon City is the country’s most-populous city.
What are the threats biodiversity?
Five main threats to biodiversity are commonly recognized in the programmes of work of the Convention: invasive alien species, climate change, nutrient loading and pollution, habitat change, and overexploitation.
Which ecosystem is richest in biodiversity?
Summary: Amazonia represents the quintessence of biodiversity – the richest ecosystem on earth. Yet a study by Smithsonian scientists, published this week in the journal Science, shows that differences in species composition of tropical forests are greater over distance in Panama than in Amazonia.
What is biodiversity and why is it important?
Ecological life support— biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services. Recreation—many recreational pursuits rely on our unique biodiversity , such as birdwatching, hiking, camping and fishing.
What is rich biodiversity?
The forest serves as the reservoir of biodiversity containing different species of plants, animals and all other sorts of living organisms. Many forests include a very rich diversity of species including most rare and prior to extinct species. Thus, the correct answer is option A.