Biodiveristy Of Life On Earth Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life forms that occur on earth
What is a species diversity?
Variety of species
What is genetic diversity?
Genetic variety within a species
What is ecosystem diversity?
The variety of ecosystems that occur in a specific area
What is the difference between South Africa and Southern Africa?
Southern Africa includes other countries
What countries does Southern Africa include?
South Africa Namibia Zimbabwe Swaziland Botswana Mozambique Lesotho
What is special about SA’s biodiversity?
It is the third highest in the world
Why does South Africa have such a high biodiversity?
It has a high central plateau
It has a warm ocean on the one side (Indian) and a cold ocean on the other (Atlantic)
What are indigenous species?
Species that occur naturally in a particular country or region
What are exotic/alien species?
Opposite to indigenous
They have been brought there from another country or region
What are endemic species?
Special that only occur in one country or region and nowhere else in the world
What is the difference between indigenous and endemic species?
Indigenous species can naturally occur in many different countries or region
Endemic is specific to one
Why can having endemic species be a problem?
They are often endangered or close to extinction
Give some examples of endemic species that can be found in South Africa
Cape sugarbird
Riverine Rabbit
Disa plant
What is a biodiversity hotspot?
An concentrated area that has a high level of biodiversity
How many areas in South Africa are recognised as biodiversity hotspots?
Three
What are the three biodiversity hotspots in SA?
Cape Floral region
Succulent Karoo
Maputapland-Pondoland-Albany
Which of the biodiversity hotspots has been declared a World Heritage Site?
The Cape Floral region
Who declared the Cape Floral region a World Heritage Site?
UNESCO
What does UNESCO stand for?
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
Why has the Cape Floral region been declared as a biodiversity hotspot?
It covers 0,05% of the earth’s surface, but contains 3% of its plant species
How many species of plants occur in the Cape Floral region?
9600
What percentage of the Cape Floral region is endemic? ( in terms of vascular plants)
70%
What is special about the Cape Floral region?
It is the only hotspot that contains an entire floral kingdom
