27- measuring biodiversity Flashcards
1
Q
what is alpha diversity?
A
the number of species in a local area
2
Q
what is gamma diversity?
A
the total number of species in a larger area/region
3
Q
what is beta diversity?
A
gamma/alpha. the change in species from one area to another
4
Q
is the total number or abundance of species always a good measure of ecosystem health?
A
no, think invasive species
5
Q
3 things that can be used to measure the health of an ecosystem?
A
the presence and abundance of indicator species
structural diversity (i.e. root growth)
functional diversity (i.e. trophic levels)
