Adaptations and Diversity Flashcards
What is Biodiversity?
The variety of all living organisms on Earth
What is Species diversity?
Variety of organisms living in a particular habitat or region.
What is Genetic diversity?
Variety of genes or the number of different inherited characteristics present in a species.
What is Ecosystem diversity?
Variety of physical environments in which organisms live and interact.
How does Genetic diversity occur?
Genetic diversity is created when mutations, or changes, arise in the DNA during meiosis in sexually reproducing organisms or during mitosis in asexually reproducing organisms.
What is the importance of Genetic diversity?
– increases species survival following environmental change
– increases the number of individuals that can survive and reproduce
– increases biodiversity in ecosystems
– means natural selection can act, as there are many alleles to select from.
What is an Adaptation?
An adaptation is a genetically controlled structural, behavioural or physiological feature that enhances the survival of an organism in particular environmental
conditions.
What is the Tolerance Range?
The particular environmental conditions in which a
particular species can successfully live and reproduce
What is a Limiting Factor?
Any condition that approaches or exceeds the limits of tolerance
What are Biotic Factors?
Environmental Factors that are Living
What are Abiotic Factors?
Non-Living Factors e.g. Wind, Temperature etc.
What is a Community?
A biological unit consisting of all the populations living in a specific area at a specific time
What is a Population?
Members of one species living in one region at a particular time
What is Diversity?
A measure of ‘species richness’ or the number of different species in a community
What 2 factors do ecologists consider when measuring diversity?
- The richness or the number of different species present in the sample of the community (species diversity)
- The evenness or the relative abundance of the different species in the sample.
What factors affect species diversity?
- The physical area in which the community lives.
- The latitude (or distance, north or south, from the
equator) .