(4.2) Biodiversity Flashcards
What are the 3 different levels of biodiversity?
- Genetic
- Habitat
- Species
What is genetic biodiversity?
Variation between individuals belonging to the same species by looking at alleles
How is genetic biodiversity measured?
You look at the polymorphic gene loci
e.g. 1000/20,000 = 1/20 = 5%
What is habitat biodiversity?
The range of habitats in an ecosystem e.g. woodland, pond, grass
What is species biodiversity?
Richness and Evenness (The amazon has species evenness and richness)
What is species evenness?
How evenly represented a species is within an ecosystem (e.g. percentage distribution)
What is species richness?
The number of species within an ecosystem
How is species richness and evenness measured?
The simpsons index of biodiversity
What is the N in the simpson’s index of biodiversity?
Total number of animals or 100%
What is the n in the simpson’s index of biodiversity?
Number of animals in a species or % cover of a species
What are the different ways of sampling plants?
- Random
- Non-random
How can you sample plants randomly and what are the advantages/disadvantages?
- random throwing of quadrats (possibility of bias)
- Using a random number generator to generate coordinates (avoids bias but may miss parts of a habitat, underestimating level of biodiversity)
What are the different types of non-random sampling?
- Opportunistic
- Stratified
- Systematic
What is opportunistic sampling?
- look at previous knowledge
- look at areas with a specific species
What are the advantages of opportunistic sampling?
Quick and easy
What are the disadvantages of opportunistic sampling?
- May be unconsciously biased e.g. attracted to more colourful/interesting areas
- Leads to overestimate of importance and biodiverity
What are polymorphic gene loci?
Have more than 2 alleles at a locus increasing genetic diversity
What is stratified sampling?
Dividing the ecosystem into different zones (habitats) and proportionately measuring with quadrats according to the abundance of the habitat within the ecosystem
What are the advantages of stratified sampling?
- All areas of the habitat are sampled
- No species is underrepresented
What are the disadvantages of stratified sampling?
- May lead to overrepresented in some areas of the sample
What is systematic sampling?
Taking samples at fixed intervals along a belt and line transect
What is a line transect?
Placing the line (normally a tape measure) and recording all the species touching the line
What is a belt transect?
Placing the line (normally a tape measure) then placing a quadrat along the line and recording all species within the quadrat
What is normally used to measure biodiversity of plants?
Quadrats
What is the difference between an interrupted and a continuous belt transect?
- Continuous is flipping the quadrat along the line so no area is missed
- Interrupted is picking the quadrat up and moving it to different intervals along the line
What is a pooter?
A jar with two straws used to suck up bugs from the ground
What is a pitfall trap?
- digging a hole and placing a container in it so that insects fall in
- sometimes placing leaves over the surface to it is unsuspecting
What is a sweep net?
A net used to collect insects across long grass
What is a tullgren funnel?
A light trap that can be used to attract insects at night with an ultraviolet light. Under this there is a collecting vessel containing alcohol which insects eventually fall in and die.
What are the benefits of a pitfall trap and a sweep net?
The insects can live and can use the capture recapture method to estimate the size of population
What is the calculation for polymorphic gene loci?
proportion of polymorphic gene loci =
number of polymorphic gene loci
————————————————–
total number of loci
What is the equation for capture recapture?
C3
What is C1 in the equation for capture recapture?
Size of first catch
What is C2 in the equation for capture recapture?
Size of second catch
What is C3 in the equation for capture recapture?
Number of animals marked in the 2nd catch
What are the benefits of biodiversity?
- aesthetic
- ecological
- economic
What are the ecological benefits of biodiversity?
- interdependence - ecosystems are complex systems and can become unstable when species are removed - if they are more stable means they are more resilient e.g. to climate change
- Key stone species
What are examples of key stone species?
- Wolves in yellowstone
- Beavers - they are ecosystme engineers
What is a key stone species?
A species that has a disproportionate effect on an ecosystem
What are the economic benefits of biodiversity?
They provide ecosystem services
What are ecosystem services?
Things that would cost lots of money if the ecosystems weren’t doing it for us
What are examples of ecosystem services?
- atmosphere cleaning
- fresh water due to purification
- soil formation
- pollination
- nutrients recycling
- oxygen
- flood prevention - beavers slow water movement down
What effects biodiverity?
- human population
- agriculture
- climate change
- extinction
How does human population affect biodiversity?
- more buildings/houses
- infrastructure
- pollution
- deforestation
- energy demands
How does agriculture affect biodiversity?
- crops and feed for animals creating monoculture
- chemicals - e.g. fertilisers and pesticides
How does climate change affect biodiversity?
- from humans desire for energy
- CO2 and methane
- Makes habitats hotter and drier e.g. australian fires
- weather patterns change
- barriers to migration
What is ex situ?
Done in a human built place/shelter and is confined
What are examples of ex situ conservation?
- zoos
- botanical gardens
- seed banks
What are the advantages of ex situ conservation?
- protection
- monitored
- creates breeding programmes
- research
- education
What are the disadvantages of ex situ conservation?
- low biodiversity
- abnormal behaviour
- ultimately temporary
What is in situ conservation?
Done in the wild/a natural environment
e.g. wildlife reserves
What is examples of wildlife reserves?
- national parks e.g. the lake district
- national nature reserves
- sites of special scientific research
- marine conservation zones
Why do in situ and ex situ conservation rely on each other?
- conservation of in situ and ex situ techniques leads to success
- species become endangered due to a threat and a threat may still be present during in situ conservation and numbers can be increased in ex situ which allows introduction into the wild
- in situ conservation helps research for ex situ attempts
What is needed to be considered when setting up a wildlife reserve?
- Is it comprehensive? e.g. is it the correct types of habitat
- Is the size adequate for the territory of animals?
- Is it representative of a natural environment?
- Are the migration corridors correct?
What is the difference between conservation and preservation?
Preservation involves no human interference e.g. a fenced off area, where as conservation involved active management with no human influence.
What are the two international laws of conservation?
- CITES
- The Rio convention on biological diversity
What is CITES?
- Convention on international trade in endangered species
- Regulates trade e.g. can’t trade ivory as it comes from elephant poaching
What is the Rio Convention on biological diversity?
Encourages sustainable biodiversity
What is the UK law involving conservation?
Countryside stewardship scheme
What is the countryside stewardship scheme?
- farmers can claim money to farm more sustainably
- e.g. using hedgerows instead of fences as animals can live in hedge rows
