3.1 an introduction to biodiversity

Question 1

biodiversity

Answer 1

• variety of all life on earth
• includes genetic, species and habitat diversity

Question 2

factors impacting biodiversity
age of the area

Answer 2

• older areas tend to have higher biodiversity
• allows organisms to diversity more, greater speciation

Question 3

factors impacting biodiversity
environmental stability

Answer 3

• some areas experience environmental disturbances (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods) or climatic disturbances (glaciations,drought)
• can destroy species, less time for colonisation and adaptation

Question 4

factors impacting biodiversity
range of habitats

Answer 4

• wide range of habitats allow the organisms to move into new habitats and niches, evolving and driving speciation
• greater vertical extent of vegetation
• altitudinal variation
• latitudinal ranges
• variation in rock and soil types

Question 5

benefits of biodiversity

Answer 5

• increased natural capital
• services, balancing atmospheric gases, clean air, water cycle, climate regulation, soil formation and protection, pollution breakdown and absorption
• break from city life, relax
• biodiversity maintains genetic diversity, continues evolution
• educational opportunities/ research for biomes

Question 6

species diversity

Answer 6

• number of species in a given area taking into account the richness and evenness

Question 7

species richness

Answer 7

• number of different species in an area
• more species, richer environment

Question 8

species evenness

Answer 8

• abundance of the species

Question 9

factors causing lower diversity

Answer 9

• close to a source of pollution
• impacted by agricultural spraying
• harvesting
• closer to human habitation, degradation

Question 10

why is species diversity important

Answer 10

• balance of biotic and abiotic interactions
• loss of one species, knock on effect
• humans rely on many species

Question 11

genetic diversity

Answer 11

• variation of genes within a genetic pool of a population of a species
• population adapt to change

Question 12

importance of genetic diversity

Answer 12

• better chance members of the species will be resilient and survive environmental change
• low genetic diversity, inbreeding, more uniform population, more common flaws
• extinction
• impossible to regain genetic diversity once lost

Question 13

habitat diversity

Answer 13

• range of different habitats in an area