Chapter 11 Biodiversity 2.0

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of different organisms present within an ecosystem

Question 2

Describe the importance of maintaining biodiversity

Answer 2

Essential for maintaining a balanced ecosystem for all organisms in order to survive and reproduce.

Question 3

Describe the importance of measuring biodiveristy

Answer 3

This informs scientists of the species which are present in the area, therefore measuring the level of effect any changes to the environment can have on biodiversity.

Question 4

What is habitat biodiveristy?

Answer 4

The number of different habitats found within an area.

Question 5

Describe the impact to habitat biodiversity if species biodiversity increases.

Answer 5

A greater habitat biodiversity means there will be a greater species biodiversity in the area, as each habitat can support a number of different species.

Question 6

What is species biodiveristy?

Answer 6

Species biodiversity refers to the richness and evenness of a species within a particular area.

Question 7

What is Species richness?

Answer 7

The number of different species living in a particular area.

Question 8

What is Species evenness?

Answer 8

A comparison of the numbers of individuals of each species living in a community

Question 9

What is a community?

Answer 9

All the populations of living organisms within the same habitat

Question 10

What is genetic biodiversity?

Answer 10

The variety of genes that make up a species

Question 11

Why can a greater genetic biodiversity be considered advantageous?

Answer 11

A greater genetic biodiversity within a species allows for better adaption to changing conditions within an environment. Therefore, more organisms are likely to survive and reproduce.

Question 12

What is sampling?

Answer 12

Taking measurements of a limited number of individual organisms present in an particular area.

Question 13

What is sampling used to measure?

Answer 13

Sampling provides an estimation of the number of organisms, distribution of a species or measured characteristics throughout the entire species.

Question 14

What are the different types of sampling?

Answer 14

Random
Non random

Question 15

What is random sampling?

Answer 15

Selecting an individual by chance so each individual in a population has an equal opportunity of being selected.
This is carried out using random number tables or computers, the investigator has no involvement in deciding which organisms are investigated.

Question 16

What is Non random sampling?

Answer 16

All organisms have different probabilities or being selected

Question 17

What are the three techniques of Non random sampling?

Answer 17

Opportunistic
Stratified
Systematic

Question 18

What is opportunistic non random sampling?

Answer 18

Uses organisms that are readily available.
Weakest form of sampling as it is not representative of the population.

Question 19

What is stratified non random sampling?

Answer 19

Populations are divided into a number of subgroups based on particular characteristics.
A random sample is then taken from each of these subgroups proportional to its size.

Question 20

What is systematic non random sampling?

Answer 20

Different areas within an overall habitat are identified and then sampled separately.

Question 21

How can systematic sampling be carried out?

Answer 21

Using a line transect or belt transect

Question 22

How is a line transect used to sample organisms?

Answer 22

A line is marked on the ground between two points and samples are taken at specified points.
For example, sampling all the organisms that touch the line or distances of samples away from the line.

Question 23

How is a belt transect used to sample organisms?

Answer 23

Two parallel lines are marked and samples are taken in the area between the two lines.

Question 24

Why is a sample never entirely representative of the population?

Answer 24

Selection process may be biased and the organisms selected may not be representative of the whole population.

Question 25

How can the reliability of the sample be increased?

Answer 25

Sampling bias can be reduced by using random sampling and the effects of chance can be minimised by using a large sample size.