Biodiversity and Biomagnification 1:5

Question 1

What can biodiversity and biomagnification tell you about the biosphere’s state of equilibrium?

Answer 1

• Biodiversity can indicate the health of an ecosystem.
• Biodiversity encourages stability and a dynamic equilibrium.
• The greater the biodiversity, the greater the ability to adapt to environmental changes
• The biomagnification of harmful chemicals can indicate that an ecosystem is under a threat and risks being destabilized by reducing biodiversity.

Question 2

What are the similaries when comparing the cycling of harmful elements to a biogeochemical cycle?

Answer 2

• enters through hydrologic cycle
• returns to soil through decomposition
• finite amounts
• transferred through tropic levels

Question 3

What actions could be taken to reduce levels of methylmercury in the environment?

Answer 3

• proper disposal of hospital wastes
• proper disposal of batteries
• proper disposal of fluorescent lamps
• specialized filters of facilities

Question 4

Biomagnification

Answer 4

The accumlation of harmful chemicals higher tropic levels