Biodiversity Flashcards
1
Q
what does biodiversity measure ?
A
how healthy an ecosystem is
2
Q
what are features of a healthy ecosystem ?
A
- one that has a number of different species
- one that is very stable
3
Q
how can biodiversity be measured ?
A
- it can be measured at a local scale
e.g small habitats - it can also be measured at a global scale
e.g the total number of species on Earth
4
Q
what is the most biodiverse areas on the planet ?
A
rainforests
- rainforests account for only 2% of the Earth’s surface but are home to 50% of its plant and animal species
5
Q
how many ways are there to measure biodiversity ?
A
there are a number of ways to measure biodiversity
6
Q
what does species richness take into account ?
A
it takes into account the number of different species in a community
7
Q
what does the index of diversity (D) account for?
A
- the number of different species
- and the number of individuals in that species
8
Q
state Simpson’s diversity index
A
D = total number of organisms of all species / total number of organisms of 1 species
9
Q
the bigger the number is… ?
A
the less diverse the area is
