Biodiversity And The Distrubution Of Life

Question 1

Define Biodiversity

Answer 1

The total variety of all living organisms on earth

Question 2

Why is a high level of biodiversity beneficial for humans

Answer 2

Products

• food
• raw materials
• medicines

Regulation of ecosystems

• pollinate crops
• absorbs CO2

Cultural benefits
-tourism and recreation

Question 3

Define biome

Answer 3

Biomes are various regions of our planet distinguished by their similar climate, fauna and floral.

Question 4

Name three biomes

Answer 4

Polar and high mountain ice
Tundra 
Coniferous forest
Temperate deciduous forest
Temperate grassland
Chaparral
Desert
Savanna
Tropical forest
Marine

Question 5

Two factors that influence the global distribution of biomes on earth

Answer 5

Global distribution of biomes can be influenced by temperature and rainfall.

Question 6

Four factors that affect biodiversity in an ecosystem

Answer 6

Biotic factors
Abiotic factors
Natural disasters
Human influences

Question 7

Define biotic factors and give examples

Answer 7

Related to living things that have an affect on an ecosystem

• food availability
• predation
• grazing
• disease
• competition for resources

Question 8

Define abiotic factors and give examples

Answer 8

Related to non-living things that have an effect on an ecosystem

• moisture
• light intensity
• pH
• temperature

Question 9

Give an example of natural disasters

Answer 9

Forest fires

Question 10

Define the ecosystem and give word equation

Answer 10

An natural biological unit made up of living (community) and non living (habitat) parts

Community + habitat = ecosystem

Question 11

Define niche

Answer 11

He ecological niche is the role the organism plays with its community of an ecosystem.

Question 12

An organisms niche is the description of which three factors?

Answer 12

The abiotic factors it can tolerate.

The resources it is able to use in its ecosystem.

Its interactions with other organisms in the community.

Question 13

Give examples of different niches played by different organisms.

Answer 13

Predator
Prey
Parasite
Producer

Question 14

Define population

Answer 14

A population is a group of the same species that live in a habitat

Question 15

Community

Answer 15

The total number of ALL the organisms living in the ecosystem

Question 16

Define habitat

Answer 16

A place where an organism lives

Question 17

Give examples of human influences that decrease biodiversity.

Answer 17

Habitat destruction 
Deforestation 
Over-fishing 
Intensive agriculture
Genetic pollution 
Oil or chemical spills

Question 18

Habitat destruction

Answer 18

Destroying where an organism lives and therefore exposing it to predators

Question 19

Deforestation

Answer 19

Removing large areas of forest and therefore removing habitats

Question 20

Over fishing

Answer 20

Catching too many fish disrupts food webs and destroys habitats

Question 21

Intensive agriculture

Answer 21

The use of machinery and chemicals to produce large quantities of the same food crop

Question 22

Genetic pollution

Answer 22

Introducing new genes into a population

Question 23

Oil or chemical spills

Answer 23

Introducing toxic chemicals that change the environment