Biodiversity

Question 1

What is global biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety and abundance of life on Earth. The survival of humans depends on the other species that we share the planet with.

Question 2

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
1. resources.

Answer 2

A wide variety of materials is collected from plants and animals eg wood for building, food, fibres (cotton, wool, paper), fuel (wood, oil),

Question 3

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
3. biomimetrics

Answer 3

This is the use of knowledge of the adaptations of other species to improve the designs of manufactured items

Question 3

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
2. new food species.

Answer 3

Attempts to domesticate new species of plant for food eg. potato bean of N America - high protein content, Morama Bean from S Africa is drought resistant, species of spinach can grown in soil with high salt content - this could be used where irrigation has caused soil salinisation

Question 4

Biomimetrics - vehicle design

Answer 4

1. Splayed wingtip feather of birds reduce wind turbulence. Copied by aircraft.
2. Shark skin has scales that reduce friction while swimming. Copied by aircraft to reduce friction and therefore fuel consumption.

Question 5

Biomimetrics - infection control

Answer 5

Bacteria does not stick easily to shark skin. Copied in operation theatres in hospital to control bacterial infections.

Question 6

Biomimetrics - architecture

Answer 6

T1.termite mounds above ground become hot. The hot air rises and creates a convection current. This draws stale air out of the lower parts of the nest. The air blowing over the mound has a lower air pressure and draws air out of the mound. This creates natural cooling and ventilation. Copied by office blocks and shopping centres.
2. Bird wing bones are hollow - strong and light. Copied in designs of bridges and roofs.

Question 7

Biomimetrics - adhesion

Answer 7

1. Seeds of some plants have burrs with hooks that can stick to the fur of passing animals. Copied by velcro.
2. Lotus flowers have water repelling properties. Copied to produce self cleaning glass.

Question 8

Biomimetrics - materials

Answer 8

Silk thread produced by spiders - lightweight, flexible and strong. Copied to produce airbags and body armour

Question 9

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
4. medicines

Answer 9

Plants need to protect themselves from herbivores - thorns, spikes, bad taste. Some plants produce toxic chemicals. When carefully controlled, these chemicals may have medical effects for humans
eg. poppies - morphine and codeine
bark of willow tree - aspirin
fatty acids found in shark liver - suppress growth of cancerous tumours
taxol from yew tree - treat many cancers

Question 10

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
5. physiological research

Answer 10

Some species have adapted to environmental conditions. Studying this could help us to understand human health problems
eg. hippopotamus skin secretes a natural sunscreen. This could help us to treat burns.
Bats and dolphins use echo location to find food. This helps us to develop ultrasound scanners to give 3D images.
Squid nerves are larger than human nerve cells and are easier to study. Provided a better understanding of heart diseases, stroke and cancer.

Question 11

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
6. pest control species

Answer 11

Predators, herbivores, parasites and pathogens control agricultural pests -
ladybirds and beetles are predators. Increase their numbers by maintaining hedgerows.
Encarsia formosa (parasitic wasp) released in greenhouses to control whitefly on tomatoes
Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) is a bacteria that kills insect pests.

Question 12

Characteristics inroduced from Crop Wild Relative (CWR) species.

Answer 12

1.Disease resistant eg sugar cane
2. Salt tolerance eg. rice and barley
3. Resistance to drought eg. cacao
4. High yield eg oil palm
5. Improved taste or appearance eg pineapples
6. Nutrient uptake eg. wheat

Question 13

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
7. genetic resources

Answer 13

Many population of wild plants have genetic characteristics that may be used in breeding programmes to improve cultivated crop varieties. Domesticated crops lack genetic diversity and will be susceptible to the same environmental changes. Crop Wild Relative Species (CWR) are wild plants of the same species or close relatives.

Question 14

The importance of conserving biodiversity -
8. Ecosystem services.

Answer 14

Other species often influence the conditions on Earth.

Question 15

Ecosystem services

Answer 15

1. Atmospheric composition eg co2 and o2 largely controlled by photosynthesis and aerobic respiration.
2. Hydrological cycle - transpiration from plants produces water vapour that form clouds and controls precipitation.
3. Biogeochemical cycles - bacteria and fungi get rid of waste matter and release the nutrients. Without them the nutrient resources would deplete.
4. Soil maintenance - soil is vital for plants, providing water, support and nutrients. Also regulates water cycle by managing river flow.
5. Interspecies relationships - no species can live in isolation
6. Food - all heterotrophs rely on other organisms as a source of energy.
7. Pollination - pollination by animals in areas where wind pollination would not be effective eg forests. Most pollinators are insects, birds, bats, monkeys.
8. Seed dispersal - animal dispersal is more advantageous than wind dispersal - larger seeds can be carried and faeces act as a fertiliser.
9. Habitat provision - species provide habitats for other species eg. birds nest in trees, hermit crabs live inside shells of molluscs

Question 16

Species that have been investigated for domestication

Answer 16

American Bison
Common Ostrich
Emu
Giant Land Snails

Question 17

What are Centres of Diversity?

Answer 17

Some areas of the world have high concentrations of CWR
CWR naturally found in areas where environmental degradation threatens their survival eg. Middle East, Central America

Question 18

Who discovered Centres of Diversity?

Answer 18

Russian biologist Nikolai Vavilov in 1900s

Question 19

Centres of Diversity examples

Answer 19

S America - potato, maize, tomato
Central American - maize, cotton, sweet potato
Indian centre - peas, rice, beans
Mediterranean centre, wheat, olives, oats
Middle Eastern centre - wheat, barley, lentil
Central Asia - wheat, onions, lentils

Question 20

What is a gene pool?

Answer 20

Total number of different genes present in all individuals in a population of a particular species.

Question 21

Why do domesticated species lack a wide variety of characteristics?

Answer 21

Often been produced from a very small number of original ancestors. Greater risk of inbreeding - disadvantageous recessive genes could cause problems

Question 22

How can all the genes in the gene pool of a species be protected?

Answer 22

Each species should be protected over its entire geographical range as they are likely to have some unique genes to that area. Don’t just protect in a few convenient areas.

Question 23

Why may some species have low priority in conservation?

Answer 23

The importance of their actions is not often appreciated.

Question 24

Specialised Pollinator

Answer 24

Darwin’s Orchid in Madagascar. The nectar that attracts insects is found at the end of a 30cm long tube. The only insect that has a tongue long enough to reach it is the Sphinx Moth, which carries pollen between different flowers of Darwin’s Orchid. This specialism means that there is no risk of less specialised feeders wasting the pollen by carrying it to other plant species.