4B - Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living organisms in an area.
What is species diversity?
The number of different species and the number of individuals of each species within the community.
What is a habitat?
The place where an organism lives.
What is a community?
All the populations of different species in a habitat.
What is local biodiversity?
The variety of different species living in a small habitat that’s local to you.
What is global biodiversity?
The variety of species on Earth.
How does biodiversity change across the earth?
It is greater at the equator and decreases towards the poles.
What is the estimated total number of species on Earth?
8.7 million.
How can biodiversity be measured?
Using an index of diversity.
What is species richness?
A measure of the number of different species in a community/a measure of biodiversity.
What are the methods that agricultural practices use that reduce biodiversity?
Woodland clearance. Hedgerow removal. Pesticides. Herbicides. Monoculture. Polluting water sources. Overgrazing. Draining wetlands (and marshes). Absence of crop rotation.
What are solutions to the removal of woodlands and hedgerows causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Using hedges instead of fences, maintain the original plantings, plant young trees.
What are solutions to pesticides and herbicides causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Use other biological agents.
What are solutions to monoculture causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Allow for natural meadows.
What are solutions to polluting water sources causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Protecting the water sources from pollution.
What are solutions to overgrazing causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Move animals around (rotate livestock).
What are solutions to the draining of wetlands (and marshes) causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Protecting the existing wetlands and marshes.
What are solutions to the absence of crop rotation causing a reduction in biodiversity?
Rotate crops, use organic fertilisers, include nitrogen fixing crops/plants.
What are some examples of conservation schemes to protect biodiversity?
Giving legal protection to endangered species.
Creating protected areas such as SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). These restrict further development, including agricultural development.
The Environmental Stewardship Scheme which encourages farmers to conserve biodiversity, e.g. by replanting hedgerows and leaving margins around fields for wildflowers to grow.
