Module 4 : Section 2 - Studying Biodiversity

Question 1

Define biodiversity

Answer 1

The variety of organisms in an area

Question 2

Define species

Answer 2

A group of similar organisms able to reproduce to give fertile offspring

Question 3

Define habitat

Answer 3

the area inhabited by a species

Question 4

Areas with high biodiversity are those with….

Answer 4

Lots of different species

Question 5

How can biodiversity be considered

Answer 5

• habitat diversity
• species diversity
• genetic diversity

Question 6

What is habitat diversity

Answer 6

the number of different habitats in an area

Question 7

What is species diversity

Answer 7

The number of different species and the abundance of each species in an area

Question 8

What is genetic diversity

Answer 8

The variation of alleles within a species

Question 9

What is sampling used for

Answer 9

To measure biodiversity

Question 10

What steps does sampling involve

Answer 10

• choose an area to sample
• count number of each species
• repeat process
• uses results to estimate total number of individuals or species in the habitat
• when sampling different habitats and comparing them always use the same sampling technique

Question 11

Sampling can be…..

Answer 11

• Random
• Non-random

Question 12

Why should you randomly sample

Answer 12

To avoid bias

Question 13

How can you randomly sample

Answer 13

If sampling plants:
- pick random sample sites by dividing the field into a grid using measuring tapes and using a random number generator to select coordinated

Question 14

What are the three types of non random sampling

Answer 14

• systematic
• opportunistic
• stratified

Question 15

What is systematic sampling

Answer 15

• samples are taken at fixed intervals
• e.g. quadrats placed along a transect from an area of shade to the middle of the field

Question 16

What is opportunistic sampling

Answer 16

• when the samples are chosen by the investigator
• used because it is simple to carry out, but data will be biased

Question 17

What is stratified sampling

Answer 17

• when different areas in a habitat are identified and sampled separately in proportion to their part of the habitat as a whole

Question 18

What is species richness

Answer 18

• number of different species in an area
• higher number of species, the greater the species richness

Question 19

How is species richness measured

Answer 19

By taking random sample of a habitat and counting number of different speices

Question 20

What is species evenness

Answer 20

• A measure of the relative abundance of each species in an area
• the more similar the population size the greater the species evenness

Question 21

How is species evenness measured

Answer 21

Measured by taking random samples of a habitat and counting the number of individuals of each different species

Question 22

What is Simpson index of diversity used for

Answer 22

Used for measuring diversity

Question 23

Simpson’s index of diversity is always….

Answer 23

A value between 0 and 1
- the closer to 1 the index is, the more diverse the habitat
- the greater the species richness and evenness the higher the number