Biodiversity Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living organisms in an area.
What are the three ways to measure biodiversity?
- Genetic diversity
Variation of genetics within a species. - Species diversity
Number of different species. - Ecosystem diversity
Variety of different types of habitats or ecosystems available.
Species Richness
The number of different species in an ecosystem, regardless of abundance.
Species Evenness
The measure of species abundance relative to others. Whether area is dominated by one or two species, or a significant number of organisms of different species, giving higher diversity.
Percentage Cover
Measurement of a portion of an area covered by an organism to estimate relative abundance in overall area.
Percentage Frequency (and how to find it)
Probability that a species will be found within a quadrat.
Number of quadrats containing the species/Number of quadrats sampled
What does Simpson’s Diversity Index measure?
Species richness and evenness.
Species Interaction
The relationship/effect organisms have on each other when living in the same area.
Abiotic factors affecting the environment.
- Temperature
- Rainfall/water flow
- pH
- Salinity
- Soil
3 zones of a marine environment.
- Pelagic Zone
Layer below water surface. - Abyssal Pelagic Zone
Depth greater than 4000 m. - Benthic Zone
Sea floor, deeper than 8000 m.
Community
Ecological grouping of different species that live together in a particular place at a particular time and interact with one another.
Biome
Group of communities with similar climate and environment but can be widespread.
3 parts of the biosphere
- Atmosphere (air)
- Lithosphere (soil and rocks)
- Hydrosphere (ocean, lakes, rivers)
