Lecture 4 - A World of Resources

Question 1

Define Biodiversity.

Answer 1

-Variability among living organisms from terrestrial, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within and between species and ecosystems

Question 2

What are the 3 Building Blocks of Biodiversity?

Answer 2

-Ecological diversity (biomes, bioregions, landscapes, ecosystems)
-Genetic diversity (populations, individuals, chromosomes, genes)
-Species diversity (domains, kingdoms, phyla, families, genera, species)

Question 3

Define what an Ecological Niche is.

Answer 3

-How and organism/ population responds to distribution of resources and competitors

Question 4

Define the Competitive Exclusion Principle.

Answer 4

-No two species can occupy the same niche for a long time

Question 5

Define Habitat.

Answer 5

-An ecological/ environmental area inhabited by particular animal and plant species

Question 6

Define what a Biome is.

Answer 6

-Climatologically and geographically defined areas of ecologically similar conditions

Question 7

Describe How Biodiversity has changed over time.

Answer 7

-Overall increase in biodiversity
-90% of all species that have ever existed are now extinct
-1.4 million species are currently known, but there are estimated to be between 3 and 9 million species total!
-From 1600-1900, there was 1 extinction every 4 years
-From 1900 onwards, there was 1 every year
-Currently, 1 extinction every day and this may increase to 1 every hour in a decade

Question 8

How does Biodiversity and Species Richness vary across the world?

Answer 8

-Species richness increases from temperate to tropical environments
-Tropical environments contain 50% of land plant species and 40% of land invertebrates

Question 9

What are some Direct Use Values of Biodiversity?

Answer 9

-Medicine (>60% of population relies on plants for medicine)
-Biological control (e.g. ladybirds as pesticides
-Industrial materials (timber, rubber, oils etc.)
-Ecotourism

Question 10

What are some In-Direct Use Values of Biodiversity?

Answer 10

-Atmospheric regulation
-Climatic regulation
-Hydrological regulation
-Photosynthesis
-Pollination
-Soil formation and maintainence

Question 11

What are some Non-Use Values of Biodoversity?

Answer 11

-Option value (should be retained for future people to use or not use)
-Bequest value (passing on biodiversity intact to future generations
-Existence value (value placed simply on its existence)
-Intrinsic value (inherent worth of biodiversity)

Question 12

What are the Main Human Causes of Biodiversity loss?

Answer 12

-Overexploitation (low populations, inbreeding, vulnerable to disease)
-Habitat loss and degradation (most significant factor causing extinctions)
-Introduced/ invasive species (outcompete native species causing trophic cascades)
-Extinction cascades (extinction of 1 leads to the extinctions of others)

Question 13

How has Human-Caused Climate Change impacted the World?

Answer 13

-Anthropogenic climate change is projected to increase surface temperatures by between 1.4C and 5.8C from 1900-2100

Question 14

Define Biotechnology

Answer 14

-Manipulation of living organisms and their components for specific tasks
-Examples; GM crops, resource recovery (biomining), recycling, pollution abatement and renewable energy

Question 15

How can Biodiversity be Maintained?

Answer 15

-Conservation
-Sustainable use of biological resources
-Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources