Module 4:Biodiversity Flashcards
What does biodiversity mean?
the variety of living organisms present in an area
How can biodiversity be measured ?
in terms of …
-species richness
-species evenness
-genetic diversity
-habitat diversity
What does species richness mean?
measure of the number of different SPECIES that are present in a HABITAT
What does species evenness mean?
comparison of the number of INDIVIDUALS of each species living in a COMMUNITY
What is meant by genetic diversity?
What is meant by habitat diversity?
measure of the genetic variation found in a particular species , the number of alleles in a gene pool
the number of habitats found in an area
How else can biodiversity be measured?
using the index of diversity calculation
Why is maintaining biodiversity important?
2
its essential for maintaining a balanced ecosystem for all organisms as all species are interconnected
-we rely on a balanced ecosystem for food , oxygen and other materials needed for survival
Why is it important that species stay interconnected?
because if the links are lost due to a reduced biodiversity , it will harm all the species in the ecosystem
What is an abiotic factor?
a non biological aspect of an ecosystem which determines what organisms are present
What is a biotic factor
a biological factor (organism) , they all affect each other by acting as energy sources/competitors
Why is having a large population important?
make 3 points
-provides a large gene pool
-this gives a genetically diverse population which is needed to maintain biodiversity
-more variation means more flexibility for change , promotes survival
What is meant by endemic?
when the ecological state of a species is unique to a defined geographical location
What is a habitat?
a place where an organism lives , they each have a particular set of conditions that the organisms have adapted to
What is a population?
What is a community made up of ?
a group of interbreeding individuals of the same species in a particular area
-the different populations within an area
What are the two types of competition?
-intraspecific
-interspecific
What is intraspecific competition?
competition between individuals of the same species
What is interspecific competition?
between different species
What does niche mean?
the way an organism uses its environment
What is sampling?
taking measurements of a limited number of individual organisms present in a particular area
What are the different types of sampling?
random-selecting by chance , all individuals have equal chance
opportunity-uses individuals that are conveniently available
stratified-population divided into strata and randomly selected
systematic-different areas of habitat are identified and are sampled separately
