Topic 3.3 Biodiversity

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of organisms in an ecosystem
variety of life
( short is bd )

Question 2

How to measure biodiversity?

Answer 2

1. species richness
2. relative species abundance/species evenness

Question 3

What is species richness?

Answer 3

number of species in an area

Question 4

what is relative species abundance?

Answer 4

relative number of species in an area

Question 5

how to use the Simpson’s diversity index (D) to measure biodiversity?

Answer 5

D= N×(N - 1) / Σn×(n - 1)
N=total num of organisms of all species in a community
n=total num of organisms of each individual species

Question 6

What does the Simpson diversity index mean?

Answer 6

Higher index = greater diversity

Question 7

what is a disad of diversity index?

Answer 7

1. can only be used wen comparing 2 environments
2. No limit so hard to comment on diversity with 1 value

Question 8

How can ecosystems be more diverse?

Answer 8

if each species in ecosystem is genetically diverse

Question 9

why is a larger gene pool better for the species?

Answer 9

increased variation allows greater chance of survival if selection pressure changes

Question 10

how can a species be more genetically diverse?

Answer 10

1. increase gene pool
2. mutations increase gene pool, if advantageous, gene is passed on and increases population freq

Question 11

what is the biodiversity within a habitat vs within a species?

Answer 11

within a habitat: species richness and evenness
within a species: genetic variation

Question 12

what are the acts of agriculture on biodiversity?

Answer 12

• destroy species habitat (reduction of hedgerows from soil erosion)
• use of pesticides
• monocultures grown
• increase land used for growing crops

Question 13

what is the result / impact of biodiversity from agriculture?

Answer 13

fewer habitats and niches
reducing stability of food chain

Question 14

3 reasons why biodiversity is important? (3 Es)

Answer 14

1. ecological
2. ethical
3. economic

Question 15

why is it good to have rich biodiversity?

Answer 15

• allow ecosystems to function and self-regulate
  they are interlinked on a global scale
• cope with selective pressures

Question 16

what is an ecosystem service?

Answer 16

service provided by natural environment that benefits people

Question 17

what is the role of cultural ecosystem services in maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 17

important for health and wellbeing, education and tourism

Question 18

what are some ethical reasons to support biodiversity?

Answer 18

• it is our duty, doing it for future gens
• protect lives of animals and humans
• maintain homes of organisms. we’ve only got 1 planet

Question 19

how does supporting ecosystem services contribute to maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 19

help promote the maintenance of the environment

Question 20

examples of human activities causing loss of biodiversity

Answer 20

• deforestation
• forest fires
• non-sustainable resources used and not replaced
• urbanisation

Question 21

what is the significance of provisioning ecosystem services in biodiversity?

Answer 21

involve products gained from ecosystems eg food from cereal plants

Question 22

how do regulating ecosystem services help maintain biodiversity? + examples?

Answer 22

regulate environment
e.g. disease control, plant trees to reduce carbon footprint

Question 23

conservation vs preservation?

Answer 23

c: actively managing and interfering
p: not interfering, keeping it exactly the same

Question 24

what are the 2 main types of conservation?

Answer 24

ex-situ
in-situ

Question 25

where does ex-situ take place?

Answer 25

outside their natural habitat

Question 26

where does in-situ take place?

Answer 26

within their natural habitat

Question 27

disad of ex-situ conservation (animals)/zoos

Answer 27

- animals domesticated. Reliant on humans - loss of natural behaviours - hard to reintroduce species back into wild - too much focus on 'attractive' species

Question 28

what are some advantages of ex-situ conservation for animals

Answer 28

- education about endangered animals - more research - protect endangered species - less inbreeding - money can be raised for conservation

Question 29

disadvantages of in-situ conservation?

Answer 29

- take up land of local people - lots of restoration of habitat needed - eradication of pests

Question 30

advantages of in-situ conservation?

Answer 30

- species have access to natural resources and breeding sites - conserve natural behaviour - less expensive - can protect larger breeding populations

Question 31

why are seeds important?

Answer 31

- produces in food chain, essential for animal survival - medicines and fibres - p/s removes CO2 from atmosphere

Question 32

what are seed banks?

Answer 32

store seeds from plants that are endangered to help conserve bd if extinct in the wild, store seeds can be used to grow new plants

Question 33

what conditions are required for seed banks?

Answer 33

- low temp - keep v dry

Question 34

why must seeds be kept at low temps?

Answer 34

reduce growth of microorganisms, slow rate of decomposition

Question 35

why must seeds be kept very dry?

Answer 35

reduce metabolic processes, seeds less likely to germinate (grow)

Question 36

why do viability of seed banks need to be checked regularly?

Answer 36

to ensure highest quality + quantity

Question 37

adv of seed banks?

Answer 37

- takes less space, more stored - can be stored for long periods of time - cheaper - doesn't require as much maintenance as growing plants - different species can be stored tgt

Question 38

disadvs of seed banks?

Answer 38

- testing seeds for viability can be time consuming and expensive - expensive to store and test regularly - difficult to collect exotic plant seeds - some don't store well

Question 39

What are importantly procedures at seed banks? 2 marks

Answer 39

Low temp low humidity Check viability regularly

Question 40

What are some uses of in-situ conservation in comparison to ex-situ? (2 marks)

Answer 40

- no change in behaviour, natural - less inbreeding - other species in ecosystem also conserved

Question 41

Why is using an index better than counting the number of species?

Answer 41

It considers population of each species

Question 42

Explain why glass containers are used to store seed banks. (4 marks)

Answer 42

- see through, no need to remove lid - keeps seed viability high - can keep air and moisture out

Question 43

Explain how seed viability tests will be different around the world. (3 marks)

Answer 43

- viability test requires similar conditions as the country - germination affected by temp / pH / humidity - if not correct conditions, seed wouldn’t germinate even if viable

Question 44

Suggest how the effects of habitat loss on the biodiversity of a tropical forest could be measured. (2 marks)

Answer 44

- measure species richness / count number of species - comparing **before and after** habitat loss

Question 45

Suggest how a species of X evolved in Y. (4 marks) depending on context.

Answer 45

- discuss different selection pressures - mutation in DNA producing new phenotype - the new phenotype has survival advantages - resulting in increase of gene pool / allele frequency