Biodiversity Flashcards
What are the three components of Biodiversity?
species, genetic and ecosystem diversity
Define a community
all the populations of different species in a habitat
Define species diversity
The number of different species and the number of individuals of each species within a community
Define ecosystem diversity
The range of different habitats
Name 4 farming techniques that reduce biodiversity
Use of pesticides/ herbicides
Use of artificial ( high nitrate content) fertilisers
Removal of hedge rows
Monocultures
What is the impact of monocultures?
Reduce species (plant) diversity
Reduce number of habitats
Reduce food sources
Reduce certain minerals in the soil- may be come unsuitable for the growth of other species
What is the trade off of conversation?
Need to maintain high crop yields, to ensure food stability and maintenance of cheap affordable food, enough of it to feed everyone globally
Name conservation techniques
Maintained of hedge rows
Limit use of pesticides/ herbicides
Use organic fertilisers
What might need to occur for farmers to be encouraged to use conservation techniques?
Financial incentives
How do herbicides reduce biodiversity?
Reduces species ( plant) diversity Reduce range of food sources
Purpose of biodiversity reducing farming practices
To increase crop yield, enable economies of scale, save costs
Raise profits
What are the two factors what cause variation within species?
Environmental
Genetic
Why is measuring genetic diversity through comparing characteristics not very a accurate/ reliable measure ?
Many characteristics could be polygenetic- coded for by more than one gene
Able to be modified by the environment ( epigentics) so differences in characteristics could be to do with environment not different alleles of a gene
Ways of measuring diversity
Compare sequences of amino acids of common proteins
Sequences for DNA bases
Sequences of mRNA bases- coded for by DNA base sequence
Frequency of observable characteristics
