Biodiversity

Question 1

What is the role of CITES?

Answer 1

regulate international trade in wildlife and plants to protect species from extinction

Question 2

What is in situ conservation?

Answer 2

conservation in the natural habitat e.g. marine conservation zones, national parks, and wildlife reserves

Question 3

What is ex situ conservation?

Answer 3

conservation in areas other than the natural habitat e.g. seed banks, botanic gardens, zoo’s captive breeding programmes

Question 4

List three levels at which biodiversity can be considered

Answer 4

• habitat biodiversity
• species biodiversity
• genetic biodiversity

Question 5

List three reasons for why biodiversity should be maintained

Answer 5

• ecological - including protecting keystone species (interdependence of organisms) and maintaining genetic resources (e.g., crop wild species)
• economic (financial) - including reducing soil depletion (continuous monoculture) so crop yields remain high
• aesthetic - including protecting beautiful landscapes, mental health, and emotional wellbeing

Question 6

List some factors that affect biodiversity

Answer 6

• human population growth
• agriculture, including the growing of monocultures
• habitat destruction, such as deforestation for plantations
• climate change
• pollution, including plastic waste

Question 7

What are sweeping nets used for?

Answer 7

to collect invertebrates in low-growing vegetation

Question 8

What are pitfall traps used for?

Answer 8

to collect small invertebrates that are found on the soil surface or leaf litter

Question 9

What are pooters used for?

Answer 9

to collect insects found in crevices or in sweep nets

Question 10

What are Tullgren funnels used for?

Answer 10

to collect small invertebrates from soil and leaf litter

Question 11

What is kick sampling used for?

Answer 11

to dislodge freshwater invertebrates on stream beds which are then collected in a pond net