Plant biodiversity

Question 1

Define biodiversity

Answer 1

All orgs in a defined area, all of their variations & all of their interactions w/ each other & w/ the physical environment

Question 2

What are the 3 levels of biodiversity?

Answer 2

1. genetic diversity
2. species diversity
3. ecosystem diversity

Question 3

What is genetic diversity?

What does it enable?

Answer 3

The gene pool within a population

Populations to adapt to enviro change

Question 4

What is species diversity?

What is it important for?

Answer 4

The no. & types of species in an area

Maintaining structure of communities & food webs

Question 5

What is ecosystem diversity?

Answer 5

Providing life-sustaining services such as nutrient cycling & waste decomposition

Question 6

Define ecosystem

Answer 6

A community of living orgs interacting w/ abiotic components

Question 7

Define habitat

Answer 7

Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species

Question 8

What is the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation vision?

Answer 8

W/out plants there’s no life. The functioning of the planet & our survival depends on plants.
The strategy seeks to halt the continuing loss of plant diversity

5 major objectives
16 targets

Question 9

What are the 5 major objectives of the GSPC?

Answer 9

> plant diversity is…:
- well understood, documented & recognised
- urgently & effectively conserved
- used in a sustainable
education & awareness about plant diversity, its role in sustainable livelihoods & importance to all life on Earth is promoted
capacities & public engagement necessary to implement the strategy have been developed

Question 10

Why is diversity important?

Answer 10

> links between plant diversity & animal diversity = coevolution
genetic diversity at species level = population stability
chemical diversity
= valuable plant products/pharmaceuticals
species diversity within an ecosystem
= ecosystem stability
genetic diversity
= traits for crop improvement

Question 11

What are the 2 ways we can measure biological diversity?

Answer 11

Richness
= no. of species in sample

Evenness
= measure of relative abundance

Question 12

What does Simpson’s index give more weight to?

Answer 12

More abundant species in a sample

Question 13

What is Shannon’s index more sensitive to?

Answer 13

Addition & deletion of rare species

Question 14

How have diverse plant communities been shown to be more stable?

Answer 14

> higher year to year productivity
more tolerant to enviro stresses e.g. drought
more resistant to invasive species

Question 15

What are the 3 different perspectives on plant diversity?

Answer 15

Functional diversity
Higher taxonomic group diversity
Structural diversity

Question 16

What are the important traits for classifying a functional type?

Answer 16

> physiognomy 
> life span
- annual, biennial, perennial, deciduous, evergreen 
> pollination & seed dispersal 
> photosynthetic pathway
- C3, C4, CAM 
> mycorrhizal association

Question 17

Why are angiosperms the most successful & diverse plant group?

Answer 17

Evolution of flowers
- attract pollinators to disperse pollen

–> Allows coevolution w/ pollinators