Biodiversity

Question 1

what is biodiversity?

Answer 1

the variety of living organisms in an area

Question 2

state the difference between habitat, species and genetic biodiversity

Answer 2

habitat- range of different habitats

species- number of species in a community

genetic- variety of alleles within a species

Question 3

what are examples of habitat, species and genetic diversity?

Answer 3

habitat- sand dunes, woodland, meadows, streams

species- species richness and evenness

genetic- different breeds within a species

Question 4

what is the difference between species richness and evenness?

Answer 4

richness- number of species in a habitat

evenness- relative abundance of species

Question 5

what are the different types of sampling?

Answer 5

random
(non-random) opportunistic
stratified
systematic

Question 6

what is the strength and weakness of random sampling?

Answer 6

s- data is not biased

w- species with low presence will be missed leading to an underestimate of biodiversity

Question 7

what is the strength and weakness of opportunistic sampling?

Answer 7

s- easy and quick

w- data may be biased

Question 8

what is the strength and weakness of stratified sampling?

Answer 8

s- ensures that no species is underrepresented

w-possibility it leads to overrepresentation in some areas

Question 9

what is the strength and weakness of systematic sampling?

Answer 9

s- useful when the habitat shows a clear gradient in environmental factors

w- only species on the line within the belt can be recorded, so other species will be missed.

Question 10

why is it important to sample?

Answer 10

its more time efficient because it takes longer to sample an entire population

Question 11

how to sample using random sampling?

Answer 11

quadrats placed on the ground and the organisms within the grids are recorded

Once the quadrat has been laid on the chosen sample point the abundance or percentage cover of all the different species present can be recorded

Question 12

how to use a line transect?

Answer 12

Lay out a measuring tape in a straight line across the sample area

At equal distances along the tape, record the identity of the organisms that touch the line. For example, every 2m

This produces qualitative data

Question 13

how to use a belt transect?

Answer 13

Place quadrats at regular intervals along the tape and record the abundance or percentage cover of each species within each quadrat

This produces quantitative data

Question 14

what are factors that affect biodiversity?

Answer 14

human population growth

agriculture

climate change

Question 15

how does human population affect biodiversity?

Answer 15

burning of fossil fuels

building houses damages habitats

deforestation

all this reduces habitat biodiversity

Question 16

how does agriculture affect biodiversity?

Answer 16

monoculture (farming of one specific type of crop)

not all species are adapted to certain conditions so will die

Fertilisers, kill wild/native plants also reducing genetic diversity

Question 17

how does climate change affect biodiversity?

Answer 17

certain animals are suited for certain climates

if its too hot or too cold, species are forced to migrate,

if the change is too fast or they are unable to migrate,

it leads to extinction,

which affects species biodiversity

Question 18

what are reasons to maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 18

ecological

economical

aesthetic

Question 19

why is the ecological reason for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 19

A more diverse ecosystem is better able to survive and adapt to environmental changes or threats

Question 20

what is the aesthetic reason for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 20

Humans find great joy and pleasure in the beauty of nature

Question 21

what is the economic reason for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 21

Many of the medicines used today have originated from plants, fungi and bacteria

Question 22

what is the difference between ex situ and in situ conservation?

Answer 22

conservation carried out in the natural habitat is known as in situ conservation

conservation outside the natural habitat is known as ex situ conservation

Question 23

give examples of in situ conservation

Answer 23

National parks and marine conservation sites

Question 24

give examples of ex situ conservation

Answer 24

Zoos and botanic gardens

Question 25

what is captive breeding?

Answer 25

breeding individuals of a species so their offspring can be released into the wild

Question 26

what are seed banks?

Answer 26

a facility that conserves plant diversity by drying and storing seeds in a temperature controlled environment

Question 27

what are frozen zoos?

Answer 27

store genetic material from animals (eggs, sperm, tissue samples etc) at very low temperatures so that they can be kept for a very long time

Question 28

describe botanic gardens

Answer 28

conservation of plants

helps raise awareness

Question 29

what did CITES say?

Answer 29

• aim is to control the trade of endangered species and their products
  For example, elephants and their ivory tusks

Question 30

what did CSS say?

Answer 30

provided funding (i.e. a financial incentive) to farmers and private landowners in England who used environmental management strategies to protect and increase the natural biodiversity on their land

Question 31

what did CBD say?

Answer 31

The conservation of biological diversity by use of a variety of different conservation methods
The sustainable use of biological resources
The fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources