4.2 Biodiveristy Flashcards
What preparation should you take before sampling?
- Wear suitable clothing and footwear
- bring suitable sampling apparatus, identification keys, a camera, clipboard and pen and paper.
How can plants be sampled?
Random quadrats and transects
How can random quadrants be used to sample plants?
Generate random coordinates for the quadrat within the habitat. Then place the quadrat at these coordinates and estimate the percentage cover of each species.
What are the two types of transect?
A line transect and an interrupted or continuous belt transect.
How can you sample animals
Observation or catching invertebrates.
How can you sample animals through observation?
You can look for signs of an animal’s presence such as droppings or footprints.
Why can observing large animals be difficult?
They may detect humans and hide.
Why can observing small animals be difficult?
They may hide or move too quickly.
How can invertebrates be caught?
- Sweepnets
- shaking tree branches
- pitfall traps
- tulgren funnel
- light trap.
How can sweep nets be used?
You can sweep the net free vegetation in wide arcs and count how many small animals have been caught in the net.
How can shaking tree branches be used to sample invertebrates
You place a white sheet below the branches, then count how many small animals fall onto the sheet.
How can a pitfall trap be used to sample invertebrates?
A small container can be buried in the ground, so the animals will fall into the trap. And be counted.
How can a tullgren funnel be used to sample invertebrates?
Can connect small animals from leaf litter
How can a light trap be used to sample invertebrates?
The uv light attracts insects if they can be collected and counted.
What technique can be used to allow you to calculate population size?
Mark and recapture.
What is an allele?
a version of a gene
what is a locus?
The position of that gene on the chromosome.
What is a polymorphic gene locus?
a locus that has more than 2 alleles
What is Simpson’s index of biodiversity?
A measure of the diversity of a habitat.
What is species evenness
A measure of how evenly represented the species are.
What is species richness?
A measure of how many different species are present.
How can you measure species richness within habitat?
Count all the species within the habitat.
How can you measure species evenness within habitat?
use a quantitative survey.
How can you measure the density of animals within a habitat?
- count large animals by observation
- count small animals using the mark and recapture technique
how can you survey the frequency of plants?
- take samples
- record the percentage cover for each species
What does a high value on the simpsons index of diversity mean?
diverse habitat
What does a low value on the simpsons index of diversity mean?
less diverse habitat, with fewer species
Who are examples of isolated populations that may have limited genetic diversity?
- captive animals
- pedigree animals
how can you measure genetic diversity?
- look at the physical variations within a population
e.g. fur colour
when can genetic diversity be found?
when there is more than one allele for a particular locus
how can you calculate genetic diversity?
- calculate the number of loci in one individual that are heterozygous
- calculate the percentage of loci in the population that have more than 1 allele
what 4 factors affect biodiversity?
- human population growth
- agriculture
- climate change
- extinction
how can human population growth affect biodiversity?
The demand for consumer goods increases so:
- the environment is used to our advantage as more resources are used
- ecosystems are altered to provide food for ourselves
- the atmosphere becomes polluted
- some species may become extinct
how can agriculture affect biodiversity?
- clearing natural vegetations creates habitat loss
- monoculture reduces genetic diversity
- selective breeding reduces genetic diversity as some characteristics are ingnored
how can climate change affect biodiversity?
- species become less able to adapt to changes
- slow migration of populations to more habitable areas
how can extinction affect biodiversity?
Humans have caused an increase in the rate of extinctions, with over 800 since 1500.
resulting in less genetic diversity and a great mass extinction event
what are ecological reasons to maintain biodiversity?
INTERDEPENDANCE OF ORGANISMS
- if insects fall, bird populations will too
GENETIC RESOURCE
- potential new medicine
- populations adapt to climate change
What economic reasons to maintain biodiversity?
ECOSYSTEMS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON FOOD PRODUCTION
- regulate climate + the atmosphere
- purify fresh water
- form + fertilise soil
- recycle nutrients
- pollinate crops
- grow timber, food, fuel
- detoxify + recycle waste
What are aesthetic reasons to maintain biodiversity?
- humans experience joy in nature
- maintain landscapes
- protects buildings from flooding and erosion
What is in situ conservation?
Carrying out active management to maintain the biodiversity IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
What are marine conservation zones?
Areas of the sea set aside to conserve the diversity of species and habitats.
What are wildlife reserves?
Area set aside for the conservation of species or habitats.
What is legislation?
Laws that can be passed to stop activities such as hunting, logging and clearing land for development of Agriculture to protect landscape.
What must be included when choosing a wildlife reserve?
COMPREHENSIVENESS
- how many species live in the area?
ADEQUACY
- is the area large enough for long term survival?
REPRESENTATIVENESS
- is there a full range of diversity?
- does the are meet the needs of indigenous people
Why could conflict arise when creating wildlife reserves?
- protected animals may raid crops outside of the reserve
- poaching
- illegal harvesting of resources such as timber
- tourists feeding protected animals
- tourists creating and leaving litter
what is repopulation?
rebuilidng biodiversity within an area
What is an example of repopulation in the UK?
grazing land being reverted back to Meadow Grassland.
What is an example of a repopulation in South Africa?
Reintroducing natural flora and fauna to replace the species lost due to european colonisation
What are examples of UK wildlife reserves?
- National parks
- national nature reserves (NNR)
- Sites of special scientific interest (SSSI)
- local nature reserves
- marine conseration zones
What are advantages of in situ conservation?
- Plants and animals are in their natural environment
- permanently protects biodiversity and natural and cultural heritage
- maintains ecological integrity
- facilitates scientific research
- improves and restores ecological integrity
- ecologically sustainable land use.
What are disadvantages of in situ conservation?
- endangered habitats may be fragmented
- the population may have already lost its genetic diversity
- limiting conditions may still be present
- could act as a honeypot for poachers.
What is ex situ conservation?
Conservation OUTSIDE THE NORMAL HABITAT of the species
What are advantages of ex situ conservation?
- protected from predation and poachers
- The health of individuals can be monitored.
- Genetic diversity can be measured
- selected breeding and IVF can be used
- Conservation sites can be used for education
- Used as an attraction to raise funds for the site
- research into endangered species
What disadvantages of ex situ conservation?
- could limit genetic diversity
- species could be exposed to more diseases
- Organisms are living outside their natural habitat
- nutritional issues could be difficult to manage
- Animals may not behave normally
- correct environmental conditions may be difficult to maintain and be expensive
- animals must survive reintroduction to the wild where existing wild members may not accept them.
what are examples of ex situ conservation.
- zoos
- botanic gardens
- seed banks
How could zoos and wildlife parks play a role in conservation?
They provide a habitat for species so that research can be carried out to benefit them in the long term.
What are Botanic Gardens.
Places for the conservation of plants.
- However, funding may be difficult and genetic diversity may be lost.
- seeds can be collected without disturbing the population and environment.
What are seed banks?
Places where seeds are stored in very dry freezing conditions so that they can remain viable for decades.
What is an example of a seed bank?
The Kew Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst in Sussex.
What does CITES stand for?
The convention on international trade and endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
What is CITES?
An international agreement between world governments that aims to regulate and monitor international trade, ensure traders can endanger populations, ensure trading wild plants for commercial purposes prohibited ensure trading artificially propagated. Plants is allowed in. shore slightly less endangered species may be traded subject permit.
What is the Rio Convention on biological diversity?
A scheme that promotes sustainable development that has been signed by a 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
What are the aims of the Rio Convention on biological diversity?
AIMS TO
- conserve biological diversity
- sustainably use components
- share access to genetic resources, scientific technologies and knowledge appropriately
- share benefits from the use of genetic resources.
What are the aims of CITES?
AIMS TO
- Regulate and monitor international trade
- ensure trade doesn’t endanger populations
- Ensure trade in wild plants for commercial purposes is prohibited
- Ensure trade in artificially propagated plants is allowed
- ensure slightly less engaged species may be traded subject to permit.
