Biodiversity

Question 1

What is the difference between species richness and species eveness?

Answer 1

species richness= number of species in a habitat
species eveness= all species in a habitat

Question 2

what is phylogeny?

Answer 2

the evolutionary relationship between organisms/species and is the basis of classification

Question 3

outline 3 reasons why it is important to conserve the e.g. lberian lynx. (3)

Answer 3

idea of impact on food chain(s) ;

idea of right to exist / duty of humans to care for other
species / ethical reason / preserving species for
future generations ;
idea of aesthetic reason ;
economic reason / tourism / might provide useful
resource ;

Question 4

suggest 3 reasons why estimates are not likely to be accurate, to estimate the total number of species on earth. (3)

Answer 4

• some species may be difficult to distinguish
• may have become extinct recently
• evolution is ongoing so new species are constantly being formed

Question 5

explain one economic reason against growing crops using continous monoculture

Answer 5

causes soil depletion.This means alot more money needs to be spent on fertilisers to artificially replace soil nutrients/yields can decrease in the long run, reducing the profit that can be made from the land

Question 6

what is polymorphism

Answer 6

when a locus has more than one allele

Question 7

what is the equation to find proportion of polymorphic gene loci?

Answer 7

number of polymorphic gene loci/ total number of loci

Question 8

what are the 3 types of biodiversity?

Answer 8

habitat= different types of habitat you can have in a particular area e.g. woodlands and ponds.
species= made up of species richness and evenness
genetics= can be calculated using polymorphic gene loci. it refers to how many varieties of genes/ alleles a particular organism has.

Question 9

what is genetic drift

Answer 9

it is random which allele gets passed onto offspring

Question 10

what are the 3 reasons for maintaining biodiversity

Answer 10

ecological- keystone species changes can lead to massive impact on other species.
economic- e.g. deforestation reduces the ability to grow crops as it leads to soil erosion (loss of mineral ions and nutrients in soil). and loss of habitat (less useful species of plants needed in medicine)
aesthetic- e.g. inspiring to look at forests and can reduce stress

Question 11

what are the 3 key international and local conservation agreements that have been made to protect habitats and species

Answer 11

CSS (Countryside Stewardship Scheme): This scheme was introduced in the UK to promote conservation of wildlife and habitats by encouraging landowners to implement sustainable land management practices.
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):
This international agreement aims to prevent the trade of endangered species, ensuring their survival by controlling the trade of endangered species and their products.

rio convention= sustainable development, stabiliose green house gases