3.4.6 Biodiversity within a community

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of living organisms in an area

Question 2

What is species richness?

Answer 2

A measure of the number of different species in a community

Question 3

What is an index of diversity?

Answer 3

A measure of the number of different species in a community

The greater the index of diversity, the more diverse the area is

Question 4

What is genetic diversity?

Answer 4

The variety of genes possessed by the individuals that make up a population of a species

Question 5

What is species diversity?

Answer 5

The number of different species and the number of individuals of each species within any community

Question 6

What is ecosystem diversity?

Answer 6

The range of different habitats from a small local habitat to the whole of the earth

Question 7

How is the index of diversity calculated?

Answer 7

d=N(N-1) / Σn(n-1)

d= index of diversity
N= total number of organisms of all species
n= population of one species

Question 8

What are methods used by farmers to maximise the amount of food they produce in an area of land and what are the impacts?

Answer 8

Woodland clearance and hedgerow removal:
+Increase farmland area
-Reduce trees and species (biodiversity), destroy habitats and shelters

Pesticides and herbicides:
+Kill pests that feed on crops and unwanted plants
-Reduces biodiversity

Monoculture - field with only one type of plant:
-Reduces biodiversity of plant and consumers

Question 9

What are conservation schemes?

Answer 9

Actions that are balanced between between agriculture and biodiversity