biodiversity Flashcards
what are the three factors to assess biodiversity?
species evenness, species richness, genetic diversity
what is species richness?
the number of species within an ecosystem
what is species diversity?
the number of different species in an ecosystem
how do you measure genetic diversity?
by working out the proportion of genes that have more than one form (allele) and how many possible alleles each gene has
give some methods of random sampling
quadrats, sweeping nets, pitfall traps, pooters, tullgren funnel, kick sampling
what is opportunistic sampling?
picking and choosing sampling locations based on various non random factors (e.g. being able to only sample from places that are safe)
what is stratified sampling?
population divided into smaller groups based on a characteristic, then sampled
what is systematic sampling?
when there’s a clear change in the physical conditions across the area being studied. e.g. abiotic factors like altitude, soil pH or light intensity
what are line transects & what kind of data does a it produce?
lay out a tape and at equal distances record the identities of the organism that touch the line. qualitative date
what are belt transects & the type of data it produces?
place quadrats at regular intervals along tape and record abundance/ perentage cover of each species within each quadrat. produces quantitative data
what are some limitations of using quadrats?
can only be used for sessile/immobile species
some species are very small or high in nmbers so hard to count
does not give info on estimated number of individuals or size of population
list some biotic factors
predators, pathogens and competition with other species
list some abiotic factors
temperature, humidity and rainfall
what is genetic polymorphism?
when there are 2 or more alleles present at a single loci
what are the main factors affecting biodiversity?
habitat destruction, overexploitation, hunting, agriculture, climate change
what are monocultures?
only having fields full of single crops
what are some reasons for maintaining biodiversity?
moral and ethical, ecological, environmental, economic, aesthetic, agricultural, maintaing genetic resources
what are keystone species?
a species which has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance
what are some ways to store genetic material for conservation
frozen zoos (egg, sperm, tissue samples from animals)
seed banks for plants
what are ex situ methods and list examples
relocation to a safe place, e.g. botanic gardens, breeding in captivity, seed banks
what are some pros of ex situ conservation?
will protect species as there are no poachers or competition. can check individual health of each animal and check reproduction rates. can reintroduce to wild
what are some cons of ex situ conservation?
too much reliance on humans. less number of organisms int the wild. costs money. less successful rates
what are in situ methods and list some examples
establishing protected areas such as wildlife zoos, national parks, preventing new species in an area, protecting habitats, restoring damage, promoting species, legal protection for species
what are the pros of in situ conservation?
more species can be protected. easier and quicker to replenish
what are the cons of in situ conservation?
cannot control many factors
what does the IUCN stand for?
international union for the conservation of nature
what does CBD stand for?
convention on biological diversity
what does CITES stand for?
the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild flora and fauna
what are the main aims for IUCN?
assessing the conservation status of animal and plant species around the world. IUCN uses classification system to differentiate between the endangerment of each species
what are the 3 main goals for the CBD?
using different conservation methods to conserve biological diversity. sustainable use of biological resources. the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources
what are the aims for CITES?
to control the trade of endangered species and their associated products. e.g. elephants and their ivory tusks
what does the CSS stand for?
the countryside stewardship scheme
