Biodiversity

Question 1

What is habitat diversity?

Answer 1

Number of different habitats in an area

Question 2

What is species diversity?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What is genetic diversity?

Answer 3

The variation of alleles within a species

Question 4

How can we sample an area to measure biodiversity?

Answer 4

1. Choose an area to sample
2. Count the number of individuals of each species
3. Repeat the process (LARGE SAMPLE SIZE = MORE ACCURATE)
4. Use results to estimate the total number
5. Use the same sampling technique throughout.

Question 5

How can we sample insects?

Answer 5

Pitfall traps
Potter
Tullgren funnel
Kick sampling
Sweep net

Question 6

What are examples of non random sampling and why is it used?

Answer 6

Split up field into grids then select grids using a random number generator.
This helps to avoid bias

Question 7

What are examples of non random sampling?

Answer 7

Systematic
Opportunistic
Scarified

Question 8

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 8

Samples are taken at fixed intervals, along a line

Question 9

What is Opportunistic sampling?

Answer 9

Samples are chosen by the investigator
(Simple but data is biased)

Question 10

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 10

Where different areas in a habitats are identified and sampled separately in proportion to their part of the habitat.

Question 11

What is species richness?

Answer 11

Number of different species within an area

Question 12

What is species evenness?

Answer 12

Measure of the relative abundance of each species in an area

Question 13

How can we asses genetic diversity?

Answer 13

We can measure the number of polymorphic gene loci within an area.

Question 14

What affects biodiversity?

Answer 14

Human population growth
Agriculture
Climate change

Question 15

How does human population growth affect biodiversity?

Answer 15

1. Habitat loss
2. Over exploration
3. Urbanization
4. Pollution

Question 16

How does agriculture effect biodiversity?

Answer 16

Increased monoculture in agriculture
1. Habitat loss as land cleared for crops
2. Local and naturally occurring plants and animals are seen as weeds and pests, and are destroyed
3. Heritage varieties of crops are lost as they don’t yield high enough.

Question 17

How does climate change effect biodiversity?

Answer 17

1. A higher temperature may not support an organism to survive. (Low genetic diversity so can’t survive)
2. Species forced to migrate to a more suitable area
3. If organisms can’t migrate then will become extinct

Question 18

What is a keystone species?

Answer 18

A species that without them the ecosystem would change dramatically. Usually predators (wolves, beavers)

Question 19

Why do we need to maintain genetic resources?

Answer 19

Useful genes may be lost if biodiversity isn’t maintained. (Used in drugs, food, clothes, fuels)

These allow us to adapt to changes in the environment

Question 20

Why do we need to stop soil depletion?

Answer 20

Continuous monoculture causes soil depletion because nutrients are gradually used up.
As a result more money is spent on artificial fertilizers.

Question 21

Why do we need to maintain biodiversity for aesthetic reasons?

Answer 21

Areas rich in biodiversity provide pleasant, attractive landscapes

Can attract visitors which has economic advantages.

Question 22

What is in Situ conservation?

Answer 22

Keeping animals in their natural habitat, and conserving the ecosystem to ensure survival of this species.

Question 23

How is in situ conversation carried out.

Answer 23

1. Establishing protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves.
2. Controlling or preventing introduction of new species
3. Protecting habitats
4. Promoting a particular species
5. Giving legal protection to endangered species.

Question 24

What are the advantages and disadvantages of in situ conservation?

Answer 24

Advantages:
Large populations can be protected
Less disruptive

Disadvantages:
Difficult to control some factors which are threatening a species

Question 25

What is ex situ conservation?

Answer 25

Protecting a species by removing it from its original habitat.

Question 26

How is ex situ conservation carried out.

Answer 26

Animal relocated to a safer area. Then animals are in breeding programs until they are strong enough to be reintroduced to original habitat.

Question 27

Advantages and disadvantages of ex situ conservation

Answer 27

Advantages: Controlled environment Disadvantages: Only a small number cared for Difficult and expensive to create environment. Many species can’t breed successfully

Question 28

What are botanic gardens?

Answer 28

Controlled environments used to grow a variety of rare plants for conservation, research, display and education. Endangered plants can be grown

Question 29

What are seed banks?

Answer 29

Store of seeds which are frozen, so they don’t lose their fertility. Useful if natural reserves are destroyed by disease or disaster.

Question 30

What is the aim of the Rio Convention on Biology Diversity.

Answer 30

Develop international strategies on conservation, and use of resources sustainably. It’s international law, and provides guidance to governments.

Question 31

What is the aim of CITES (Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species)

Answer 31

Regulates the trade in wild animal and plants. Illegal to kill endangered species Helps to conserve biodiversity by limiting trade through licensing, and making it illegal to trade products made from endangered species Raise awareness of threats to biodiversity through education

Question 32

What is the Aim of the CSS (Countryside stewardship scheme)

Answer 32

Conserve wildlife and biodiversity, by promoting management techniques to land owners. 10 year agreement to pay landowners who follows techniques