Lecture 2 - Biodiversity

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

1. Measure of variation found in the living world

Question 2

What are the three main components of biodiversity?

Answer 2

1. Genetic Diversity
2. Species Diversity
3. Habitat diversity

Question 3

What is genetic diversity?

Answer 3

1. Variation between individuals in the same species

Question 4

What is species diversity?

Answer 4

1. Difference between species.

2. Structural and functional

Question 5

What is habitat diversity?

Answer 5

1. Difference in habitat

Question 6

When is Genetic diversity low?

Answer 6

1. Small isolated populations

2. Relatively few varieties (plants and animals) are farmed

Question 7

How to increase genetic diversity?

Answer 7

1. Out breeding,
2. Breeding programmes
3. Wild genes into cultivated varieties

Question 8

How can biodiversity be measured?

Answer 8

1. Range of habitats in an ecosystem
2. The differences between the species in a habitat e.g. height of trees of functional differences
3. The extent of genetic variation between species
4. The higher the biodiversity, the healthier the environment

Question 9

What is species richness?

Answer 9

Measure of the number of different species present in a habitat

Question 10

What is species evenness?

Answer 10

Measure of the relative abundance of individuals in each species

Question 11

Simpson’s index of diversity: What does a high value D show

Answer 11

1. Diverse habitat, small changes wont affect it much.

Question 12

What is the consequence of a habitat with low diversity?

Answer 12

1. Less stable or susceptible to change
2. Harsh .e.g newly colonised areas
3. Agricultrual

Question 13

What is the consequence of a habitat with high diversity?

Answer 13

More stable

Established or at climax