12.14 Biodiversity Flashcards
Biodiversity definition
The number of species and the number of individuals of each different species in a community
Species richness definition
The number of different species in a community
Community definition
All the individuals of all the species living together in the same area at the same time
Species definition
A group of similar organisms with the same genes that reproduce top produce fertile offspring
Genetic diversity definition
Difference in DNA
Niche definition
An organisms role in the community
Describes how it interacts with other species and how it responds to the environment
Habitat definition
A place where organisms usually live within an ecosystem
What does higher diversity index suggest?
Greater the species diversity
What does d stand for in the diversity index equation?
Species diversity index
What does N stand for in the diversity index equation?
Total number of organisms of all species
What does n stand for in the diversity index equation?
Total number of organisms of each species
Compare and contrast the species richness and index of diversity (2)
The species richness and index of diversity both use the number of different species in a community
The index of diversity takes into consideration the number of organisms of each species, whereas the species richness doesn’t
What information is required to calculate an index of diversity for a particular community?
Number of species
Number or individuals in each species
Explain why an index of diversity may be a more useful measure of biodiversity than just the number of species present
It also measures the number of individuals of each species
Some species may be present in low/high quantities
Give 2 advantages of using an index of biodiversity rather than in indicator species
You do not need to identify the species
Index considers the number of individuals in each species
Suggest one economic argument for maintaining biodiversity
Financial by :
- Medicine
- Commercial products
- Tourism
- Agriculture
- Saving local forest communities
Explain why the diversity of insects decreased when a forest was cleared
- Decrease in variety of plants
- Fewer habitats
- Decrease in variety of food sources
- Aspect of clearing forest killed insects (pesticides, machinery)