Topic 3 Biodiversity

Question 1

What is species richness?

Answer 1

The number of different species in a community or area

Question 2

How can biodiversity be measured?

Answer 2

Simpson’s Diversity Index

Question 3

What is an interbreeding group?

Answer 3

A small population

Question 4

What are the problems with inbreeding groups?

Answer 4

Closely related
More likely to be homozygous
Less variation
More susceptible to changes in the environment
May become extinct

Question 5

What are the economic reasons for conserving biodiversity?

Answer 5

Purification of air and water
Waste decomposition
Nutrient recycling
Genetic diversity for crops and medicine

Question 6

What are the ethical reasons for conserving biodiversity?

Answer 6

Spiritual enrichment
Cognitive development
Reflection
Recreation

Question 7

What are methods of ex-situ conservation?

Answer 7

Zoos and seed banks

Question 8

What is ex-situ conservation?

Answer 8

The preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats

Question 9

What are the main roles of zoos in conservation?

Answer 9

Education
Scientific research
Captive breeding

Question 10

How do zoos play a role in education?

Answer 10

Teach about

• illegal trade of animals
• need for biodiversity

Question 11

How do zoos play a role in scientific research?

Answer 11

Control of diseases
Research into behaviour
Techniques to improve breeding

Question 12

Why do zoos carry out captive breeding programmes?

Answer 12

Increase numbers of a species so they don’t become extinct
Preserve genetic diversity
Release animals into the wild

Question 13

What are the concerns about keeping animals in zoos?

Answer 13

Animals behave unnaturally
Used for financial gain
Kept in poor conditions
Reduce wild populations

Question 14

How do zoos maintain diversity?

Answer 14

Control choice of partners through stud books
Select partners using in vitro fertilisation or swapping between zoos
Don’t let the animals breed with the same animals

Question 15

How do seed banks operate?

Answer 15

Seeds collected from a high number of plants
X-rayed to check for viable seeds
Dried to remove water
Stored in cold
Periodically checked for viability by germinating

Question 16

Why are seeds collected from a number of different plants?

Answer 16

Ensures high genetic variation

Question 17

Why are seeds dried to remove water?

Answer 17

Increases storage time

Question 18

Why are seeds stored in the cold?

Answer 18

Increases storage time

Question 19

What is in-situ conservation?

Answer 19

Conservation of natural habitats and ecosystems

Question 20

What is sustainable development?

Answer 20

Supplying people with everything they need with minimal effects on the habitat and wildlife

Question 21

Give methods of in situ conservation?

Answer 21

National parks
Wildlife reserves
Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Question 22

What are the principles of in situ conservation?

Answer 22

Monitored
Protected from unwanted human activity
Suitable size for the population
Connected to other bits of land

Question 23

Explain how captive breeding increases genetic diversity?

Answer 23

In a small population there's low genetic diversity
Captive breeding increases population
Record of animals kept
Zoo selects the mates
Animals can be swapped between zoos
To stop INbreeding
Use artificial insemination
Measure genetic diversity using DNA profiling