Museum example of biodiversity

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In examining any loss of biodiversity, the two main issues that arise are: A) a loss of ecosystem services from a given area, and B) loss of usable potential of flora and/or fauna lost. These are basic instrumental values that are measurable (theoretically at least) in dollars and cents. Many would also argue the intrinsic value - aesthetics, etc. - irrespective of the ability to assign a cash equivalent.

As far as a "display" a relevant theme would be the pharmaceutical industry which owes the majority of its origins to biodiversity; from the advent of penicillin (from a fungus) to many recent cancer fighting pharmaceuticals. The entire group of powerful antibiotics ending in "-mycin" come from varieties of filamentous bacteria known as actinomycetes. As point in fact, the large majority of all pharmaceuticals derive from botanical or animal origins.

If "I" were to pick three zones I think the obvious first choice would be Amazonia as it is well-studied in this regard. The human expansion into the Amazon is due in large part as a means to alleviate crowding and the growth of slums in urban areas such as Sao Paolo, etc. by giving land to the poor so they might settle and achieve a subsistence lifestyle. Larger areas have been cleared for row-crop agriculture and timber, while other zones have been explored for mineral exploration - particularly gold-mining. This has caused fragmentation of ecoregions, as well introduction of non-native species along the roadways. This change from rainforest to farmland has caused a gneral decrease in humidity of the region - and a general drying out of the remaining rainforest, leading to substantial forest fires.

Another would be Madagascar. The isolation of the island from the African continent has led to the development of many very unique endemic species. This island nation is unique in many respects and extinctions due to ...