Biodiversity Flashcards
Define biodiversity
A measure of all the species worldwide, the genes they contain and the habitats of which they form a part
What are the three types of biodiversity?
Habitat diversity
Species diversity
Genetic diversity
What is a species?
A group of organisms with similar traits, anatomy and characteristics that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
What is species richness?
The number of different species in an area
What is species evenness?
The abundance of the species across an area
What is genetic biodiversity?
The genetic variation between individuals belonging to the same species
What is it called when they’re are variations of the same gene?
Alleles
Why may genetic biodiversity increase?
Mutations in an organisms DNA, creating a new allele.
Interbreeding between different populations of the same species. Widening the gene pool.
Why might genetic biodiversity decrease?
Selective breeding eg. Pedigree of dog or yield of crops
Captive breeding eg. In zoos and conservation centres
How do we measure genetic biodiversity?
Looking at observable features of the individuals
Measuring proportion of heterozygotes
Measuring the % of polymorphic gene loci in the genome of the population
What does the word locus mean?
(Loci plural)
The position of a gene on a chromosome
What are polymorphic genes?
Genes with more than one allele
What is opportunistic sampling?
Weakest method of sampling
Samples organisms that are conveniently available
What is systematic sampling?
Different areas within a habitat are sampled separately often using a transect line or belt transect
What is stratified sampling?
The population is divided into groups called strata.
Samples are then taken from each group.
