Chapter 11 - Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity ?
The variety of living organisms in an area
What are some habitat examples
- treetops
- oceans
- sand dunes
What are the two way in which diversity in a habitat is measured?
Species richness, and species evenness
What does species richness mean?
The number of different species living in an area
What does species evenness mean?
The comparison of populations of different species living in an area
What does genetic biodiversity mean?
The number of different polymorphic alleles per gene locus
What does a high value in Simpsons diversity index tell you about a habitat?
There is a high diversity of organisms and the population should be very resistant to change
WhT are the three levels at which biodiversity can be considered?
- habitat
- species
- genetic
What is systematic sampling?
Sampling carried out at regular intervals
What is stratified sampling?
When the sampling is proportional to the size of each population which is determined beforehand
How would you calculate genetic biodiversity?
Number of polymorphic gene Loci / total number of gene loci
What is an SSSI?
Site of special scientific interest
What is ex situ conservation as opposed to in situ conservation ?
- ex situ conservation is maintaining a population outside its natural habitat
- in situ conservation is maintaining a population inside it’s natural habitat
When a species is extinct, what has happened to it?
Loss of all the members of its species
What does extinct in the wild mean ?
Loss of all members of a population in the wild, but surviving members are kept in captivity for safety.
What does endangered mean ?
When only a very limited number of the population is left alive
What does vulnerable mean?
A species that is susceptible to endangerment is vulnerable
What it CITES ?
conservation on international trade of endangered species
What is CBD?
the convention on biological diversity
List three factors that affect biodiversity?
- Climate change
- Human Activity
- Agriculture
Give three reasons why habitats and biodiversity should be maintained and preserved?
- Economic
- Aesthetic
- Ecological
Give five examples of In Situ conservation
- national park
- marine reserve
- nature reserve
- protected woodland
- SSSI
Give three examples of Ex Situ conservation
- Botanical Gardens
- Seed bank
- Zoo w/ captive breeding programme
What is CITES ?
Convention of international trade of endangered species.
What is CBD?
Rio convention on biological diversity
- promote sustainable development
What is a keystone species?
Species of organisms that play a key role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community.
Why has the human population exploded?
- Medicine improvement
- better hygiene
- better housing
- more accessibility to balanced diet
Why is the growing human population bad?
- deforestation
- more resources needed - more deforestation
- CO2 levels increase - less trees, more humans
- Increasing energy usage
- Reduced biodiversity
What is Deforestation?
The permanent removal of large areas of trees to make room for something other than forest.
What are the causes of deforestation?
- Acid rain - lack of photosynthesis + pH of soil is bad
- cut down for crops
- cut down for houses/estates/parking lot
- forest fires - lightning / drought.
What is the impact of agriculture on the land?
- Deforestation creates monocultures of crops - low biodiversity.
- Selective breeding - reduces genetic biodiversity.
- Chemicals - pesticides + herbicides reduces diversity of organisms.
- Chemical Bioaccumulation - kills tertiary consumers/ animals high in food chain - decreases diversity.
