Conservation of Biodiversity

Question 1

Biodiversity

Answer 1

The variety of life found on earth

Question 2

Levels of Biodiversity

Answer 2

Ecosystem Diversity, Species Diversity and Genetic Diversity

Question 3

Ecosystem Diversity and its Importance

Answer 3

The variety of ecosystems and habitats within a region and the interactions between its components

Supports a wider range of species and enhances an ecosystems stability and resilience

Question 4

Species Diversity and its Importance

Answer 4

The variety of different species within an ecosystem, consists of species richness (number of different species) and species evenness (abundance of each species)

Increases ecosystem stability and resilience and supports complex food webs and interactions between species

Question 5

Genetic Diversity and its Importance

Answer 5

The variety of genes and alleles within a population or species

Enables adaptation to changing environments

Question 6

Simpson’s Index of Diversity

Answer 6

Used to measure the relative biodiversity of a given community

D = 1 - ((n/N)^2)

Value of 0 represents low species diversity while value of 1 represents high species diversity