Biodiversity Flashcards
Biodiversity compromises… (definition)
Every form of life, from the smallest microbe to the largest animal, the genes that give them their specific characteristics and the ecosystems of which they are part of
Biodiversity includes diversity…
within a species, between species and of ecosystems
What three things must organisms share to be named a species?
Similar morphology, physiology and behaviour
What must organisms be able to do to be called a species?
interbreed to produce fertile offspring
To be called a species are organisms reproductively isolated from another species by time, place or behaviour?
Yes
Members of the same species have..?
Identical profiles/fingerprints
What is species richness?
The number of species present in a given habitat
What does species richness not take into account?
The population number of each species
A community in which most of the species have equal abundance is said to have?
High species evenness
If one species is more abundant within the community it is termed?
The dominant species
What would a diverse community have?
High species richness and evenness
What is meant by a biodiversity hotspot?
Areas of particularly high biodiversity - 25 regions covering 2% of the earths surface contain more than 50% of all terrestrial species.
What is meant by endemism?
When a species is found within one particular area
What is a habitat?
A place where an organism lives. It has a particular set of conditions which supports a distinct combination of organisms
