BIO460 CHAPTER 1

1. BIO460
Biological Diversity
CHAPTER 1 : NATIONAL
POLICIES

2. Learning objectives:
Towards the end of this chapter, students should be able
to:
• Define biological diversity
• Describe National policy on biological diversity
• Describe the rich diversity of Malaysian flora and fauna
• Explain biodiversity crisis
• Explain the conservation efforts

3. Biological diversity
• from all sources including, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and
the ecological complexes of which they are a part of- this includes diversity
within species, between species and of ecosystems.
BioD : Variability among living organisms on earth

4. RICH DIVERSITY OF MALAYSIAN
FLORA AND FAUNA
• Malaysia is widely recognised to be one of
the world’s few megadiversity countries.
• There are an estimated 15,000 species of
vascular plants in Malaysia.
• The country’s faunal communities include
307 known species of mammals, 30 of
which are endemic to Malaysia.
• 785 species of birds from 85 families, 242
species of amphibians and 567 species of
reptiles, as well as a total of 1951 species
of freshwater and marine fishes.

5. National Policy on Biodiversity (NPBD)
2016-2025
• Objective : To conserve
Malaysia’s biological diversity
and to ensure that its
components are utilized in a
sustainable manner for the
continued progress and socio -
economic development of the
nation.
• The first National Policy on
Biological Diversity was formulated
in 1998.

6. 5 principles in NPBD
PRINCIPLE 1
Heritage. BioD is a national heritage that must be sustainably managed and wisely
utilised today and conserved for future generations.
PRINCIPLE 2
Precautionary. The lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason to
postpone measures to minimise threats of significant loss of biodiversity.
PRINCIPLE 3
Shared responsibility. The conservation and sustainable utilisation of biodiversity
are the shared responsibility of all sectors of society.
PRINCIPLE 4
Participatory. Planning and management of biodiversity must be carried out in a
participatory manner.
PRINCIPLE 5
Good governance. Good governance, including accountability and transparency
in decisionmaking, is crucial to biodiversity conservation.

7. 5 goals of NPBD
(by 2025)
1) Empowered and harnessed the commitment of all
stakeholders to conserve biodiversity : Create
awareness across all segments of our society - Nurture
participation amongst children and youth.
2) Significantly reduced direct and indirect pressures
on biodiversity : Integrate biodiversity conservation into
sectoral policies and plans - Recognise the economic
value.
3) Safeguarded all key ecosystems, species and
genetic diversity : By 2025, at least 20% of terrestrial
areas and inland waters, and 10% of coastal and
marine areas, are conserved.

8. …con’t
4) Ensured that the benefits from the utilisation of
biodiversity are accrued equitable to all :
institutionalising a national regulatory framework -
Enhance capacity and awareness.
5) Improved the capacity, knowledge and skills of all
stakeholders to conserve biodiversity : Strengthen the
capacity of biodiversity-related agencies - Enhance the
quality and quantity of research on Malaysia’s
biodiversity - Establish comprehensive databases and
monitoring programmes.

9. BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
• Throughout
Earth's history
there have been
six major
Extinction Events.
• These extinction
events concern
the sudden
disappearance of
many species.
• The most
'infamous' event
was the extinction
of the dinosaurs
65 million years
ago.

10. Giant ground
sloths.
Disappeared
along with the
mammoths,
mastodons, and
many other
large animals,
at the end of the
Pleistocene
Epoch.

11. …con’t
• The Sixth Extinction‘
(Holocene) : direct result
of one species
substantially modifying the
planet at the expense of
the other 11 million or so
species. That species is
US.
At the current rate of habitat destruction it is estimated that
within the next 100 years or so about half of the world's
existing species may be extinct.
The rate of species loss during 'The Sixth Extinction', is
estimated to be somewhere between 100 and 1000 times
greater than during any previous Extinction Events.

12. • One of the earlier and popularly-known
examples of extinction in this period is the
dodo bird.
• The dodo bird lived in the forests of
Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean,
but became extinct around 1662.
• It was hunted for its meat by sailors as it
was easy prey because the dodo, which
did not evolve with humans, would
approach people without fear.
• Introduced pigs, rats, and dogs, brought to
the island by European ships, also killed
dodo young and eggs.
Skeleton of the extinct
Dodo, endemic to
Mauritius, on display at
the Mauritius Natural
History Museum

13. Steller’s sea cows, became
extinct in 1768.
The sea cow, first
discovered by Europeans in
1741, was hunted for meat
and oil.

14. Extinct species was hunted and
suffered from habitat loss through the
clearing of forests for farmland.
Some are victims of hunting and
overfishing.
Japanese sea lion
Carribean monk seal

15. Conservation efforts
Conserve particular species (for example, the polar bear) or groups of animals (for
example, tigers).
Conserve entire habitats, such as the Amazon rainforest.
Conservation natural resources - setting aside national parks and wildlife
preserves.