15: Types of Biodiversity Flashcards
What are the 3 types of biodiversity?
- species diversity
- genetic diversity
- ecosystem diversity
What is species diversity?
the number of species in a region (species richness)
- important for the function of communities and food webs
What is genetic diversity?
variety of genes among individuals in a species
- allows species to adapt to environmental changes
What is ecosystem diversity?
richness and complexity of a biological community
- provides life sustaining services
What are examples of ecosystem diversity?
number of niches, trophic levels, habitats etc.
What animal lacks genetic diversity?
cheetahs, they are similar genetically
- like twins
Is biodiversity equally distributed around the world?
No
What are biodiversity hotspots?
they are located around the equator, high temperature, a lot of sunlight regions
What is extinction?
occurs when the last member of a species dies
What are mass extinctions?
moments in Earth’s history where many of the existing species have died
How many mass extinctions have there been so far?
5
What is background extinction rate?
extinction rate that is always present, species are becoming extinct all the time
Are we in the middle of a 6th mass extinction?
yes, around 1 million species have been driven to extinction because of humans (ALOT)
What does extant mean?
existing
How many extant species are there?
hard to say, species is a complicated concept and many places on Earth have not been explored
