3.3 1 The importance of biodiversity

Question 1

Biodiversity

Answer 1

The variety of life on earth including genetic diversity both between individuals in a species and between species as well as the variety of different ecosystems

Question 2

Complexity of biodiversity

Answer 2

Differences between individuals in species ,different populations of a species ,between communities and ecosystems - more than just the number of species

Question 3

Rich biodiversity

Answer 3

Allows large ecosystems to function and self regulate (all organisms in an ecosystem are interdependent and can affect physical conditions around them ) . Ecosystems are also interlinked on a larger scale across earth

Question 4

Ecosystems across earth linked

Answer 4

Air and water of the planet are purified by the action of a wide range of organisms .waste is decomposed and rendered non toxic by many organisms including bacteria and fungi
Photosynthesis stabilizes the atmosphere and climate
Plants absorb water water cycle
Plant doors hold soil together affecting how water runs off

Question 5

Important

Answer 5

Plant pollination seed dispersal soil fertility and nutrient recycling systems such as nitrogen and carbon cycles are vital for natural ecosystems and farming all depend on rich biodiversity

Question 6

Production

Answer 6

Biodiversity provide genetic variation that has allowed us to develop the production of crops livestock fisheries and forests and enables us futher improvements by cross breeding and genetic engineering . Variation allows us to cope from arising climate change and disease . Plant biod provides potential of plants to produce new chemicals that are important in many areas of human life including new medicines

Question 7

Species richness

Answer 7

The number of different species in an area

Question 8

Distribution of the different species

Answer 8

The relative abundance of different types of organisms that make up species richness

Question 9

Endemism

Answer 9

Greater biodiversity is not always the same as the areas with the biggest number of endemic species

Question 10

Theory about why some areas have particularly rich biodiversity

Answer 10

A very stable ecosystem allows many complex relationships to develop between species ,high levels of productivity when photosynthesis rates are very high can support more niches .
In areas where organisms can grow and reproduce rapidly more mutations occur leading to adaptations which allow organisms to exploit more niches

Question 11

Relative species abundance

Answer 11

Not just dominated by one species

Question 12

Risks to biodiversity

Answer 12

Are not evenly spread throughout the world certain areas more vulnerable to damage and loss ,small ecosystems such as islands rainforest coral reefs and wetlands .biod hotspots -if damaged more species are lost

Question 13

Diversity index

Answer 13

D=N(N-1)/total n(n-1)
d- diversity index
N- the total number of organisms of all species
n- total number of organisms of each individual species
Draw table

Question 14

In general

Answer 14

When an environment has relatively extreme environmental conditions biodiversity is low any change in this extreme environment has big impact on population numbers unstable and very susceptible to change .number of unfilled niches incoming organism can become established very rapidly and overpower existing species

Question 15

When to measure

Answer 15

Biodiversity is not constant e.g plants change with the season