Biodiversity :). Flashcards
What is a species?
A group of similar organisms able to reproduce to give fertile offspring
What is a habitat?
The area inhabited by a species which includes physical factors and living biotic factors
Name 1 physical factors of a habitat
Soil and temperature range
Name 2 living biotic factor?
Availability of food
Presence of predators
What are areas high biodiversity?
Areas with lots of different species
What is habitat diversity?
Number of different habitats in an area
e.g. Particular area could contain many different habitats- sand dunes, woodland, meadows, streams etc.
What is species biodiversity?
The number of different species and abundance of each species in an area.
E.g. Woodland could contain many different species of plants, insects, birds and mammals.
What is genetic diversity?
The variation of alleles within a species or population of a species
E.g. Variation of alleles within dog species give rise to different breeds e.g. Labrador or poodle
Species richness is?
Number of different species in an area, the higher the number of species the greater the species richness
What is species evenness?
Measure of relative abundance of each species in an area. The more similar the population size of each species the greater the species evenness
How is species richness measured?
Measured by taking random samples of a habitat and counting the number of different species
What is species evenness measured?
By taking random samples of a habitat and counting the number of individuals of each different species
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living organisms in an area
Why is a sample taken?
In most cases it would be too time consuming to count every individual organism in a habitat
What are based upon the sample taken?
Estimates about the whole habitat
What does sampling usually involve? (4 stages)
1)Choose area to sample
Count number of 2)individuals of each species
3) repeat process
4) use results to estimate total number of individuals
When comparing different habitats and comparing them what must you do?
Use the same sampling technique
What sort of area would you choose to sample?
A small area within the habitat being studied
How would you count number of individuals plants?
Use quadrat
How would you count number of individual flying insects?
A sweep net
Net on pole
How would you count number of individual ground insects?
Use pitfall trap
Small trap that insects can’t get out of
How would you count number of individual aquatic animals ?
Use net
How many samples should you take and why?
As many as possible as will give better indication of the whole habitat
For step four what is the other option to estimating total number of individuals?
Total number of different species in the habitat being studied
How could you investigate impact of mowing on biodiversity of school playing field?
Sample mowed and un-mowed field
Calculate biodiversity for each field using Simpsons index
Why should samples be random?
To avoid bias
How could you select a random sample for plant species in a field?
Dividing forks into grid using measuring tape using random number generator to select coordinates
Can random samples always be taken?
No sometimes it’s necessary to take non-random sample
Give a example of when a non-random sample would need to taken?
Lot of variety in distribution of species in the habitat and you want to make sure all different areas are sampled
Name the three types of non-random sampling?
Systemic
Opportunistic
Stratified
Explain systemic sampling?
When samples taken at fixed intervals often along a line
Give example of systemic sampling?
Quadrats could be placed along a line (transect) from area of shade in the corner to the middle of a field
Explain opportunistic sampling?
When samples are chosen by investigator used because it is simple to carry out but data will be biased
Stratified explain?
When different areas in habitat identified and sampled in proportion to part of habitat as whole
Give stratified sampling example
Heathland may have patches of gorse in it
Heath and gorse areas would be samples separately according to how much of each there was in the habitat
How shouldn’t a species present in a small number be treated the same as?
Those with bigger populations
What two things does the Simpson’s index take into account?
Species richness and species evenness
What is the formula for the Simpsons index of diversity?
D= 1-(Σ(n/N)^2)
What do the letters mean in the Simpsons index formula?
D= Simpson’s index of diversity
n= total number of individuals of one species
N=total number of organisms of all species
What is the range that the Simpsons index of diversity can take?
Between 0 and 1
What does the Simpsons index of diversity mean the close to 1 the index is?
The more diverse the habitat
What causes the Simpsons index of diversity to get close to one?
The greater the species richness and evenness, the higher the number
What are genetic resources?
Any material from plants, animals or microorganisms containing genes that we find valuable
What could genetic resources be?
Crops
Plants used for medicine
Microorganisms used in industrial processes
Animal breeds
Give two reasons why maintaining genetic resources is vital?
1) Genetic resources provide us with a variety of everyday products
2) genetic resources all us to adapt to changes in the environment
Genetic resources provide us with a variety of everyday products. Give examples
Food and drink Clothing Drugs Field Other industrial materials
Explain genetic resources relevance to food and drink
Plant and animals are sources of all good and some drink
Explain genetic resources relevance to clothing?
Lot of fibres and fabrics made from plants and animals
E.g cotton from plants
Leather from animals
Explain genetic resources relevance to drugs?
Many are made from plant compounds
E.g. Morphines painkiller made from poppy seeds
Explain genetic resources relevance to fuels?
Number of organisms produce renewable fuels e.g ethanol and biogas
Fossil fuels non-renewable so run out so other sources are of renewable economic importance
Explain genetic resources relevance to other industrial material?
Huge variety of other materials produced from plant and animals species e.g. Wood, paper, dyes, adhesives, oils, rubber and chemicals like pesticides
What is genetic diversity?
The variation of alleles within a species or within a population of a species
How is genetic diversity of a population worked out?
Using calculations
How does it matter if a population has low genetic diversity?
They might not be able to adapt to change in the environment and the whole population could be wiped out by a single event e.g. A disease
Name some populations that may have low genetic diversity?
Isolated populations
Those bred in captivity e.g. Zoos, pedigree animals, rare breeds…
What can the calculations if genetic diversity monitor?
Genetic diversity of the populations over time
What can be done if genetic diversity is low?
Efforts can be made to increase genetic diversity of population if needed.
E.g. Breeding programmes in zoos closely managed to maximise genetic diversity
What are alleles?
Different versions of a gene
Where on the chromosome are alleles of the same gene found?
At the same point (locus) is
What does polymorphism describe?
Locus that has two or more alleles
Working out what gives a measure of genetic diversity?
Proportion of polymorphic gene loci in an organism
Those points on chromosomes can have more than one alleles
Formula for proportion of polymorphic genetic loci=
(Number of polymorphic gene loci)/(total number of loci)
How do you get percentage of genes in sample that have alleles?
Polymorphic gene loci x100
Three factors affecting global biodiversity?
Human population growth
Increased use of monoculture in agriculture
Climate change
In last couple centuries and now what’s happening to the human population of the planet?
Grown hugely and continues to rise
Why is increasing human population decreasing global biodiversity?
Habitat loss
Over-exploitation
Urbanisation
Pollution
Explain how habitat loss and human population are linked?
Human development is destroying habitats
E.g. Deforestation in Amazon make way for grazing and agriculture decreasing habitat diversity and
Explain how over-exploitation and human population are linked?
Greater demand for resources means lot of resources used up faster than replenished decreasing genetic diversity within populations and decreasing species diversity
Name some resources demanded?
Food
Water
Energy
Name example of over-exploitation
Industrial fishing can deplete population of certain fish species may cause extinction
Extinction is?
Species dies out
Explain how urbanisation and human population are linked?
Sprawling cities and major road developments can isolate species meaning populations unable to interbreed and genetic diversity is decreased
Explain how pollution and human population are linked?
High amounts of pollutants can kill species to destroy species or habitats decreasing biodiversity
Example of pollution decreasing biodiversity?
High levels of fertilisers flowing into river can lead to decrease in fish species in river
How are ever-growing number of people feed?
Large areas of mandate devoted to monoculture growing of single variety of single crop leading to decline in global diversity
Give example of increased use of monoculture in agriculture?
In Africa, large areas used for palm oil plantations
What happens when lane is cleared to make way for large fields?
Habitats are lost
What are local and naturally occurring plants and animals seen as in these fields?
Weeds and pests so destroyed with pesticides and herbicides reducing species diversity
What happens to heritage varieties of crops in these huge fields?
Lost because they don’t make enough money so aren’t planted any more reducing species diversity
What is climate change?
Variation in earth’s climate
E.g temperature and rainfall patterns
Does climate change occur naturally?
Yes but scientific consensus is climate change we’re experiencing is caused by humans increasing emissions of greenhouse gases e.g. Carbon dioxide
What do greenhouse gases cause?
Global warming increasing global average temperature causing other types of climate change e.g. Changing rainfall patterns
How will climate change affect the world?
Affects different parts in different ways some will get warmer, colder, wetter, drier affecting global diversity
What do most species need to survive?
A particular climate
What can a change in climate mean?
An area inhabitable becomes uninhabitable or vice verse
What can this lead to change in habitat?
Increase or decrease in range of species in the habitat leading to increase or decrease biodiversity
Range change example?
Southern range limit of sooty collet butterfly moved 60 miles north in recent decades
What are some species forced to do?
Migrate to more suitable area causing change in elected distribution decreasing biodiversity in areas species come from and increasing biodiversity in areas they move to
What happens if there isn’t a suitable habitat or can’t migrate or change is too fast?
Species may become extinct decreasing biodiversity
Extinction example
Corals die if water Temps changes by one or two degrees. In 1998 coral reef near Panama badly damaged because water temperature had increased causing at least 1 species of coral to become extinct
What are ecological reasons for maintaining biodiversity down to?
Complex relationships between organisms and their environments
Name two ecological reasons for maintaining biodiversity?
To protect species including keystone species
To maintain genetic resources
What are ecosystems to each other?
Interdependent
What does interdependent mean?
They depend on each other to survive
What happens therefore as loss of one species?
Some pretty dramatic effects on an ecosystem
Give two examples of drastic effects on an ecosystem?
Disruption of food chains
Disruption of nutrient cycles
Disruption of food chains example
Some species of bear feed on salmon which feed on herring. Number if herring declining can affect both salmon and bear population.
Disruption of nutrient cycles example?
Decomposes like worms improve quality of soil by recycling nutrients. If worm numbers decline, soil quality will be affected affecting growth of plants and amount of food available to animals.
What are keystone species
Some species for which many other species in a ecosystem depend and without the ecosystem would change dramatically
What are keystone species?
Often predators but can be modifiers or hosts
What the purpose of predators in an ecosystem?
Keeping population of prey in check
Purpose of modifiers in ecosystem?
Maintaining environment needed for the ecosystem
E.g. Beavers building dams
Hosts purpose in ecosystem?
Plants provide particular environment such as Palm trees
Example of keystone species
Wolf keystone in America. Wolf populations eliminated in most American states during 20th century. Without wolves elk population increased leading to overgrazing leading to loss of plant species and loss of species depending on plants like beavers and songbirds. Situation reversed in some national parks.
What is a genetic resource?
Any material from plants, animals or microorganism containing genes that we find valuable
What could genetic resources be?
Crops, plants used for medicines, micro-organism used in industry processes or animal breeds.
What two main genetic resources reasons do we need to maintain biodiversity?
1) Genetic resources provide us with variety of everyday goods
2) genetic resources allow changes in environment
What are many genetic resources important for?
Gobal economy
Products derived from plants and animal species traded on local and global scale
What do genetic resources allow us to do?
Adapt to changes in environment
Adapt to changes in environment genetic resources example
Climate change may mean some drops won’t be ache to grow in same areas as they do now due to droughts. However, we may be able to use genes from a plant that’s resistant to droughts to genetically engineered drought-resistant crops
What’s monoculture?
Growing single variety of single crop
Continuous monoculture involves what?
Planting same drop in the field without interruption
Continuous monoculture causes?
Soil depletion because nutrients required by crop are gradually used up
More traditional farming methods crops are?
Rotated with other types of crops so nutrients and organic matter are replaced
What are the economic costs of soil depletion?
Increased spending on fertilisers to artificially replace nutrients and decreased yields in long run if fertilisers aren’t used.
Why do some people believe we should conserve biodiversity?
Brings joy to millions of people
Area rich in biodiversity provide what?
Pleasant, attractive landscapes that people enjoy by maintaining biodiversity we protect those beautiful landscapes
The more biodiversity in an area what happens to visitors?
More of them the area is likely attract which has economic advantages
What does in situ conversation mean?
On site conversation
What does in situ conservation involve?
Protecting species in their natural habitat
Why is conservation important?
To ensure the survival of endangered species.
What are endangered species?
Species which are at risk of extinction because of low population or threatened habitat
Name 5 techniques of in situ conservation?
1) Establishing protected areas
2) controlling or preventing introduction of species that threatens local biodiversity
3) protecting habitats
4) promoting particular species
5) Giving legal protection to endangered species
Give examined of established protected areas?
National parks
Wild life reserves (nature reserves)
Marine conservation zone
What are these established protected areas protecting and how?
Habitat and species by restricting urban development, industrial development and farming
What has been introduced to sea ecosystems?
A similar idea with marine conservation zones where human activities like fishing are controlled
Give example of controlling the introduction of species that threaten local biodiversity?
Grey squirrels aren’t native to Britain so compete with native red squirrel and have caused a population decline so controlled in some areas
Give example of protecting habitats?
Controlling water levels to conserve wet land and cop picking (trimming trees) to conserve woodlands allowing organisms to continue living in their natural habitat
Promoting particular species example?
Protecting food sources or nesting sites
Giving legal protection to endangered species example?
Making it illegal to kill them.
Give 5 advantages of in situ conversation?
Both species and habitat conserved
Larger population can be protection
Less distributive than removing organisms from their habitat
Chances of population is greater than ex situ methods
Give 1 disadvantage of in situ conservation?
Difficult to control some factors threading a species (poaching, predators, disease, climate change…)
What is ex situ conservation?
Off site conversation
What does ex situ involve?
Protecting a species by removing part of population from threatened and placing it in a new location.
What’s ex situ often?
A last resort
Name 4 Ex situ methods
1) relocating organism to safer area
2) breeding organisms in captivity and reintroducing to wild when strong enough
3) botanic gardens
4) seed banks
Give example of relocating organism to safer area?
Five white rhinos recently relocated from Congo to Kenya because of danger from poachers who kill them for Ivory
Give example of breeding organisms in captivity and reintroducing to wild when strong enough?
Sea eagles reintroduced to Britain though captive breeding programme.
Breeding carried out where? Ex situ
Animal sanctuaries and zoos
Botanic gardens are?
Controlled environment used to grow variety of rare plants got purpose of conservation, research, display and education. Endangered and extinct in wild species can be grown and reintroduced into suitable habitats
Seed banks info
Seeds can be frozen and stored in seed banks for over century without losing fertility.
Seed banks provide useful range if natural reserves are destroyed (disease/ other natural disaster)
Advantages of ex situ conservation?
Used to protect individual animals in controlled environment (predation and hunting more easily controlled)
Can be used to reintroduce species that have left an area
Disadvantages of ex situ?
Only small number of individuals can be cared for
Difficult and expensive to maintain right environment
Animals habituated used to human contact may exhibit less natural behaviour and may be more likely to catch disease from human
Ex situ less successful than in situ
Which is ex situ less successful than in situ?
Many species can’t breed successfully in captivity and don’t adapt to new environment when moved to new location
What needs to happen to information about threats to biodiversity?
Shared and countries need to decide in conversation methods and implement then together
Rio convention on biological diversity aim is?
To develop international strategies on conservation of biodiversity and how to use animal and plant resources in sustainable way
Rio convention on biological diversity made?
It part of international law that conserving biodiversity is everyone’s responsibility
Provides guidance to governments on how to conserve biodiversity
CITES stands for?
Conversation on internal trade in endangered species
What is CITES?
An agreement designed to increase international cooperation in regulating trade in Wild animals and plant specimens
What did the member countries of CITES do?
All agreed to make it illegal to kill endangers species
What does the agreement made help? (Illegal kill endangered species)
Help converse species by limiting trade through licensing and by making illegal to trade in products made from endangered animals (rhino Ivory, leopard skins…)
What is CITES aimed to do?
Raise awareness of threats to biodiversity through education
Why is international cooperation really important?
Pointless making hunting endangered species illegal in one country if poachers can go and hunt them in another country
What is vital even through international cooperation is important?
Local level schemes
Give examine of local level scheme?
The countryside stewardship scheme (CSS)
When was the countryside stewardship introduced?
1991
Aims of CSS?
Conserve wildlife and biodiversity and improve and extend wildlife habitats by promoting specific management techniques and landowners
Government did what? CSS
Offered 19 year agreement to pay landowners who followed management techniques they were suggested. E.g. Regenerate hedgerows to leave grassy margins around edges of field where wildflower could grow, graze upland areas ti keep down bracken
How many agreement made in England?
10,000
Since introduction of scheme what has happened?
Various species begun to rebuild in numbers including birds such as stone curlew, black grouse and bittern
