3.3 Biodiversity Flashcards
Species Richness
The number of different species in an area
Species Evenness
Relative number of different types of organisms
Index of Diversity
Species richness + abundance are both taken into account
Varying Biodiversity
Climate change
Human Activities
Time of Year sampled
Natural Disasters
Genetic Diversity
The total number of different alleles in the gene pool of a population
The greater the genetic diversity, the more likely the species will be able to adapt to environmental change
Wide range of Alleles
Wider range of characteristics
Higher probability that an individual has the characteristics to survive in the new environment
Endemic Populations
Rich Biodiversity in terms of species number
Relatively low genetic diversity
Comparing Genetic Diversity
Observable homologous characteristics
Base sequence of DNA
Amino acid sequence of proteins
Ecosystem Services
Services provided by the natural environment that are of benefit to people
Types of Ecosystem Services
Provisioning- Food
Regulating- Climate Regulation
Supporting- Carbon cycle
Cultural- Tourism
In situ Conservation
Species are conserved within their natural habitat
Advantages of in situ conservation
Cheaper than ex situ
Protects the biodiversity of the ecosystem
Disadvantages of in situ conservation
May be damaged by ecotourism
Conditions that caused the area to have a loss of species may still be present
Ex situ Conservation
Species are conserved outside their natural habitat
Advantages of ex situ conservation
Protects species from poaching
Helps attract funding + awareness
Disadvantages of ex situ conservation
Limited genetic diversity
May be difficult to provide a suitable environment
