Module 4.2 Biodiverity Flashcards
What does the term species evenness mean
It is the measure of relative abundance of each species in an area
What does the term species richness mean
Number of different species in an area
What are the three types of diversity and their meanings
Habitat: number of different habitats
Species: number of different species
Genetic: variation of alleles
How would you carry out random sampling
Divide field into a grid
Use a random number generator to select coordinates
Then count the number of organisms in the area
What is Simpson’s index of Diversity?
It takes into account species evenness and richness
What is a pro of random sampling
Not biased
why?
it ensures that each sample has the same probability of being chosen.
Why do we sometimes use non-random sampling
In the case, there is a wide range of species in an area
Name some techniques of sampling animals
Pooter sweep net kick sampling pitfall traps capture mark release Tullgren funnel
Name some techniques of sampling plants
Quadrat
Line quadrat
Point quadrat
What is an opportunistic sample and is it biased
An opportunistic sample is when the researcher chooses where the sample is carried out
Yes it is biased
What is systematic sampling
When you take samples at fixed intervals for example a line transect
What is stratified sampling
Is when you identify different areas of habitat and sample each area in proportion to the habitat as a whole
For example, there may be more daisies than lilies in a field, so you would sample the lilies in proportion to how much there are in the field
Genetic diversity
Why is genetic diversity important
having more genetic diversity means that you are more able to withstand changes in your environment as you can adapt and survive better
Genetic diversity
What is the locus of a gene?
alleles of the same gene are found at the same point on a chromosome
Genetic diversity
How do you work out polymorphism?
the proportion of polymorphic loci= number of polymorphic loci / total number of loci
Factors that affect biodiversity
How does human population growth affect biodiversity?
- Habitat loss: through deforestation, we cut down trees to provide land for agriculture and grazing.
- Overexploitation: We use more resources than we can replenish. An example of this is overfishing, which can lead to the extinction of fish.
- Urbanisation: Cities tend to isolate certain species this means they can’t interbreed which lowers genetic biodiversity,
- Pollution: High levels of pollution can destroy habitats
- high amounts of fertiliser can flow in water and kill the animals present
- Acid rain can lower the pH of rivers, lakes and soil. Some animals can’t live in these conditions
Factors that affect biodiversity
How does monoculture affect biodiversity?
Monoculture: land used to grow one type of crop
- Habitat loss: Trees in mangrove forests might be cleared out for shrimp farms reducing the biodiversity
- Use of herbicides and pesticides means that plants like weeds and insects reduce biodiversity
- some crops are not planted anymore because they don’t make enough money, this reduces species biodiversity (loss of heritage varieties)
Factors that affect biodiversity
How does climate change affect biodiversity
- Climate change can cause areas that were once habitable for species to become inhabitable, this may increase biodiversity or decrease biodiversity
- Climate change can cause some species to migrate like birds, this can decrease biodiversity where they were from but increase biodiversity where they go
- Plants can’t migrate like animals can and a change in temperature may cause them to go extinct. An example can be one type of coral reef in Panama
- global warming: melting ice caps, sea level rising
Maintaining biodiversity
What are the reasons to maintain biodiversity
- Ecological:
- Keystone species have a large effect on the environment, for example, wolves can ensure the numbers of prey are regulated.
Interdependence- disrupting food chains can have an effect on feeding., Disruption of nutrient cycles can affect the growth of plants - Aesthetic: inspiring, good for health, also it can have economic benefit as the more beautiful a landscape the more likely it will attract tourists
- Economic: reducing soil depletion means less money would be spent on fertilisers (happens due to monoculture)
- Maintaining genetic resources means we can have a variety of food, clothes, medicine, fuels etc, this also can help species adapt to climate change
conservation
What does conservation mean
protection or management of organisms/habiats
What are the types of conservation?
in situ
In situ
- creating wildlife parks, (restricts urban and industrial development) marine conservation zones
- control and prevent the introduction of new species like grey squirrels who compete with red squirrels
- control water levels, cutting down of trees
- restore damaged areas like a sea that has an oil spill
- provide legal protection
- promote some species by protecting a food source
What are the advantages and disadvantages of in-situ
Advantage
- habitat and species are conserved
- less disruptive
- chances of population recovering greater than ex-situ
Disadvantages
- hard to control disease
- climate
- poaching
- predators
What are the types of conservation?
Ex situ
- Relocate an organism to a safer area
- breed organisms in captivity then introduce into the wild
- zoos
- botanical gardens used to grow rare plants
- Seed banks, which provide useful sources of seeds if natural reserves are gone
What are the advantages and disadvantages of ex-situ
Advantages
- reduce competition for resources
- control things like hunting and predation
- Can check the health of animals
- Can manipulate breeding through IVF
Disadvantages
- expensive to create right environment
- human contact may mean animals show less natural behaviour
- more likely to catch a disease from humans
International agrrements
What are the three conservation agreements
- CITES
- Rio convention
- The countryside stewardship scheme
What is CITES
- Regulates international trade of endangered species
- countries agreed to make it illegal to kill endangered species
- limits trade through licencing
- helps raise awareness through education
What is the countryside stewardship scheme
- Improve the aesthetics of the countryside by regenerating hedgerows, grazing upland, leaving grassy margins
- Improve habitat and species biodiversity
The woodland in the figure can supply timber continuously, sustainably and economically.
Discuss some social, aesthetic and ethical benefits of managing woodland in this way compared to coniferous monoculture ( 4 marks)
social
amenity / recreation / (eco)tourism;
educational benefit (to visitors / children); improve (mental) well-being;
aesthetic
landscape more attractive / AW (for local people / visitors);
ethical
(continuous management) better for local employment;
duty of care for, habitat / environment / biodiversity / food webs /ecosystems;
Explain why the decision was made to conserve the species in captivity (ex-situ) rather than in the wild(in-situ) ( 3 marks)
Note: can probably use this template for any question really
- Can monitor the health of organisms/prevent disease
- protection from predation/hunting
- manipulate breeding
- reduce competition between organisms
Explain why the white-backed vultures in the captive breeding programme were (3 marks)
- collected from different areas
- housed in separate centres
(Questions have a stem)
- Maintains genetic biodiversity
- reduces the risk of inbreeding
- different races of vultures
- less likely to risk losing organisms (vultures) to disease
Suggest three measures that could be taken in the long term to preserve the number of
white-backed vultures, once the captive-bred individuals have been released into the wild. ( 3 marks)
(Questions have a stem)
Any of the points below ban / make illegal , use of this painkiller ; provide alternative painkillers (that do not have the same ecological impact) ; no hunting / no killing / legal protection, of white-backed vultures ; protected areas / sanctuary / reserves ; provide breeding sites ; prevent habitat destruction ; monitoring (of vultures) / tagging ; feeding programme (for released birds) / provide uncontaminated carcasses ; qualified ref. to education ; promotion of ecotourism ; in case the population falls again, sperm and egg banks / frozen embryos ;
An ecologist carried out a survey of butterfly species on the heathland.
The ecologist walked along a marked path on four different days in June. She counted
• the number of butterfly species
• the number of individual butterflies of each species.
Suggest how this method of collecting data could be improved. (3 marks)
June 2010 unit 2
The mark scheme says
- collect in a wider area
- use a sweep net/or take photographs
- collect at different times of the day
- could do mark, capture, recapture
Before any major development can take place, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
needs to be carried out. One such development is the proposed extension to the M27 motorway in Hampshire. This extension would cut through an important heathland ecosystem.
Suggest three aspects of this development that would need to be considered when carrying out the EIA. ( 3 marks)
June 2010 unit 2
- Need to consider how it will affect the biodiversity of heathland
- consider whether there are rare/endangered species present in
- consider how rare the habitat is
- the effect of moving organisms
- how reducing the size of the habitat will affect
Suggest the implications of a high value of Simpson’s Index of Diversity on planning decisions. ( 2 marks)
June 2010 Unit 2
- There is a high biodiversity/species richness/species evenness/ many species present
- therefore area should not be developed, or development should be modified, or habitat should be conserved, or development should be reconsidered
Describe how the students may have determined the numbers of individuals of each species in each habitat. (5 marks)
Its about insects i think
- They could have randomly chosen an area to observe, by diving up the habitats (elaborate obvs)
- then using a sweep net
- Repeat this same technique in every habitat
- then classify each insect caught
Discuss the role of an EIA as part of a local planning decision. (3 marks)
- they look at whether there is a need for conservation or whether to maintain biodiversity
- To see whether there are any endangered animals that need protection
- they may look at laws to see
- they plan whether to relocate species
Suggest why some conservationists might object to these studies. ( 2 marks)
btw they are talking about EIA studies
- They believe that habitats should be left alone
- they don’t want to damage the environment when animals are being studied
- sampling in the area would mean that they would disturb the natural environment
Suggest why the black rhinonoscouros is going to be extinct ( 2 marks)
- Hunting
- poaching
- shot to prevent damage to farmland
- killed for horns
State two ways in which the CITES agreement is helping to save endangered species, such as the black rhinoceros. ( 2 marks)
- Ban the sales of ivory
- have international agreements to protect the rhinos
- countries can make it illegal to kill rhinos
- use education or raise awareness
Explain what is meant by the term endangered species (2 marks)
- A species that numbers are low/ or habitat reduced/ whose population is critically low
- At the risk of extinct
Outline the potential benefits to agriculture of maintaining the biodiversity of wild animals and plants.
(4 marks)
- instead of using insecticides farmers can have natural predators
- it will be a source of plant variety for cross breeding
- A source of a variety of foods
- you can breed resistant to disease or insect crops
Suggest one other way that zoos can contribute to the conservation of rhinos (1 mark)
btw breeding programmes were unsuccessful
June 2016 paper 1
- they could educate people or raise awareness
2. promote conservation projects
The remaining population of the rhinos are small and scattered and isolated, explain how these factors might speed up extinction (2 marks)
June 2016 paper 1
- hard to find a mate / may be gender imbalance
- (inbreeding leading to) low genetic diversity /
small gene pool / genetic bottleneck
3 .cannot / less likely to , cope with / adapt to ,
(named) environmental change
4.all wiped out by the same disease
5.more vulnerable to , predators / poachers - natural disaster could wipe out , one / some ,
of the small populations
describe three ways in which the sweep net sampling procedure could be designed to try and make sure that a representative sample was obtained
(3 marks)
idea of: unbiased method to selecting sampling area
sample many times / AW, and calculate mean / average
standardised sweeping procedure
ensure insects do not escape (before being identified)
method to prevent recounting
sample at different times of, day / month / year / weather
conditions
suggest two factors to be taken into account when selecting individuals for the breeding programme
unrelated individuals
healthy
selecting individuals of the opposite sex for breeding
exam question
describe three ways in which the sweep net sampling procedure could be designed to try and make sure that a representative sample was obtained
idea of: unbiased method to selecting sampling area ;
sample many times / AW, and calculate mean / average
standardised sweeping procedure
ensure insects do not escape (before being identified)
method to prevent recounting
sample at different times of, day / month / year / weather
conditions
In this study, a student placed his quadrat on areas he considered to have the most biodiversity.
Explain what is wrong with this technique
- sameple he collects will be biased
2. it may be under representative or certain species and over representative of others
The Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP) is a global conservation programme
conceived, developed and managed by the Seed Conservation Department at the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The aims of the project are to collect and conserve 10%
of the world’s seed-bearing plants by 2010.
The project aims to make seeds available for research and species re-introduction into
the wild. Scientists working in seed banks have to maintain the viability and genetic
variability of the seeds they store. Samples of seeds stored are germinated to assess
their variability.
Describe how scientists working in seed banks maintain the viability and genetic
variability of seeds.
viability- ensures seeds germinate or collect new seeds that are produced
genetic variability: collect many different types do seeds, collect them from different parts of teh world
Zoos and botanic gardens, such as Kew Gardens, are involved in many conservation projects throughout the world.
Outline the problems experienced by zoos and botanic gardens in managing such projects and explain why it is important for such projects to be successful.
Problems
- capture of species/AW;
2 numbers of species caught ref to extinction;
3 ref to named example e.g. elephants;
4 maintenance of genetic variability/gene pool;
5 ref to funding;
6 ref to species ownership/AW;
7 problems of storage and maintenance;
8 ref to specific example of problem; e.g. inbreeding/altered breeding/seed
preparation;
Need for success
- stop extinction/maintain gene pool;
11 potential medical benefits;
12 agricultural benefits/artificial selection;
13 named example of crop improvement;
14 ethical/moral responsibility for future generations;
explain the importance of species evenness in determining the biodiversity in a habitat
(measures), abundance / numbers, of individuals in each
species
species evenness is more quantitative than
species richness
high(er) species evenness indicates
high(er) biodiversity
low species evenness indicates, dominance by / high
abundance of, one / few, species
used to calculate (Simpson’s) Index of Diversity
outline an advantage of using a seed bank as opposed to adult plants in order to conserve an endangered plant species
most plants produce an excess
(so) can be collected (from wild) without damaging
(wild) , plants / organisms / population / habitat
take up little space
able to store, large numbers / more species
easy / cheaper, to transport
idea of remaining viable for long periods
less susceptible to, disease / pests / environmental
change
explain why a reduction in biodiversity may present problems for agriculture in the future
(fertiliser) promotes growth of, one / few, (plant)
species
other (plant) species , out-competed (as a result
of competition from crop species)
idea of disruption of food chains
idea of reduction in , soil quality / humus , over time so
plants cannot grow
explain how excessive use of inorganic fertilisers on farmland can cause a reduction in its biodiversity
(fertiliser) promotes growth of, one / few, (plant)
species
other (plant) species , out-competed (as a result
of competition from crop species)
idea of disruption of food chains
idea of reduction in , soil quality / humus , over time so
plants cannot grow
state two aims for each of the conventions
RIO & CITES
CITES 2 max
regulate / monitor / prevent , trade in , selected / certain
endangered , species
ensure (international) trade does not endanger , wild
populations
prohibit (commercial) trade in wild plants
allow trade in , artificially propagated plants
allow (some) trade in less endangered , wild species /
organisms / animals and plants
Rio Convention 2 max
sustainable use of , organisms / habitats / ecosystems ;
share genetic resources
share access to , scientific knowledge / technology ;
idea of promoting (named) ex situ conservation
method(s)
idea of raising profile of (biodiversity) with , governments
public bodies / general public
idea of international cooperation (on biodiversity issues)
suggest what is meant by critically endangered
likely to become extinct / on the verge of extinction /
numbers are not sustainable /
numbers too low for survival of species /
numbers drop below 10% of (original) population
what does habitat mean?
A place where an organism lives
