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Biodiversity Flashcards

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1
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The variability within species, between species and between ecosystems, variety of organisms present in an area, exists at many levels from local to global, covers all habitats

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2
Q

Why is biodiversity important?

A

All species are interconnected, depend on others for nutrients, oxygen, shelter
Reduced biodiversity, reduces connections, may harm species in ecosystem
Greater biodiversity = more stable ecosystem

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3
Q

What is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and why is it necessary?

A

Measuring biodiversity is integral part of conservation
EIA carried out before any project started, gives info about the species present, assesses the positive and negative effects of the project on the biodiversity of the area

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4
Q

What is a habitat?

A

A place where individuals in species live

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5
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists—all ecosystems

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6
Q

What is a biome?

A

A region of the world characterised by its resident life, environment, and climate.

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7
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The interaction between organisms living
together in a particular environment.

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8
Q

What is habitat biodiversity?

A

Range of habitats in which different species live
Common examples in UK are sand dunes, woodland, meadows, streams, can contain variety of habitats
Each habitat occupied by range of organisms

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9
Q

What is species biodiversity?

A

Species richness: number of different species living in particular area
Species evenness: comparison of the number of individuals of each species living in a community
Area can differ in species biodiversity even if has same number of species

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10
Q

What is genetic biodiversity?

A

Variation between individuals belonging to same species, can create breeds within species
High genetic diversity allows species to adapt to environmental changes and inbreeding

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11
Q

How is genetic biodiversity measured?

A

Species richness: measure of the number of species.
Species abundance: relative measure of the abundance of species.
Species density: an evaluation of the total number of species per unit area

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12
Q

What is sampling?

A

Taking measurements of specific numbers of organisms

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13
Q

Why is sampling needed?

A

EIA, disease effect, indicator of climate change/habitat change, want to know what is there, how many are there
Can’t count all individuals, allows us to estimate number of individuals, can also give information on distribution of organisms, spread or clustered for example

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14
Q

What is random sampling?

A

Selecting by chance

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15
Q

What is opportunistic sampling?

A

Sampling where a sample is taken when a source is encountered therefore it is based on ease of access

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16
Q

What is stratified sampling?

A

Random sample taken from each strata, proportional to the size of the population

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17
Q

What is systematic sampling (line and belt)?

A

Line - samples taken at fixed intervals across a habitat, sample individuals touching line
Belt - samples taken at fixed intervals across a habitat, belt provides more information than line as sampling it at intervals between two parallel lines

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18
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of random sampling?

A

Ensures data is not biased, can cover large areas
May not cover all areas equally, species with low presence may be missed leading to underestimation

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19
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of opportunistic sampling?

A

Easier and quicker than random
Data may be biased, presence of large, colourful species may entice researcher to include that species, may lead to overestimation of importance and biodiversity

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20
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of stratified sampling?

A

Ensured all different areas of habitat are sampled and species are not underrepresented due to the possibility that random sampling misses certain areas
Possibility of over representation of some areas, ie a disproportional number of samples are taken in small areas that look different

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21
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of systematic sampling?

A

Good for environmental gradients (eg rocky shorlines)
Only species on the line or within the belt can be recorded, other species may be missed leading to underestimation

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22
Q

What is sampling bias?

A

Deliberately or accidentally choosing a sample area. Reduced by random sampling where human involvement is removed

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23
Q

What is the problem with chance when sampling?

A

Organisms selected may be by chance, not representative of population. Can never be removed, but reduced by large sample size

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24
Q

What is species richness?

A

Number of different species within a habitat

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25
What is species evenness?
Number of individuals of each species in the habitat, how evenly they are represented/relative abundance
26
What is Simpson's index of biodiversity?
A measure of the biodiversity of a habitat
27
What is mark-release-recapture?
Capture a small number of individuals, put a harmless mark on them, and release them back into the population, and then catch more again
28
What is a gene?
Small section of DNA, codes for a protein
29
What is the formula for Simpson's diversity index?
D = 1 - Σ (n/N)^2
30
What is an allele?
Different versions of the same gene
31
What is meant by locus/loci?
Specific position of a gene on a chromosome
32
How does genetic biodiversity come about?
Genetic mutations form new alleles Interbreeding, individual from one population migrates to another, transfers alleles (gene flow) Greater diversity found when more than one allele for particular locus
33
What is the benefit to a population of greater genetic biodiversity?
More stable populations More likely to survive environmental change Some individuals better suited due to variation in alleles Some individuals may have advantageous alleles Species less likely to become extinct Avoid inbreeding
34
How do captive breeding programmes reduce genetic biodiversity?
Zoos and conservation centres Small number of captive individuals of species available for breeding Wild population endangered, extinct
35
How do rare breeds reduce genetic biodiversity?
Selective breeding used in past to produce breed, become unfashionable Numbers fall drastically, each individual shares reduced number of alleles Becomes problematic when trying to increase numbers but keep breed characteristics
36
How does selective breeding reduce genetic biodiversity?
Few individuals within population selected for characteristics and bred
37
What factors affect biodiversity?
Population growth, agriculture, deforestation, climate change
38
What are reasons for maintaining biodiversity?
Ecological, economic, aesthetic
39
What is conservation?
Sustainable use of natural resources, change is allowed
40
What is preservation?
Maintaining present state of something, change is not allowed
41
What is in-situ convseration? Give examples
Protecting species within their natural habitats, such as with wildlife reserves or repopulation
42
What is ex-situ conservation? Give examples
Protecting species outside their natural habitats, often in human-controlled environments like zoos, botanic gardens, or seed banks
43
What are some management techniques for wildlife reserves?
Controlled grazing Controlled human access Banning poaching Culling invasive species Feeding animals Reintroduction of species
44
What are some advantages of wildlife reserves?
-Plants and animals conserved in natural habitat -Permanently protects biodiversity and representative examples of ecosystems -Permanently protects significant elements of natural and cultural heritage -Allows management of these areas to ensure ecological integrity is maintained -Provides opportunities for ecologically sustainable land uses -Facilitates scientific research -May restore the ecological integrity of the area
45
What are some disadvantages of reserves?
-Potential conflict with human activities (agriculture, development) -Risk of poaching -Negative socio-economic impacts on communities that relied on resources within reserve
46
What do marine conservation areas aim to do?
-Vital in preserving species rich areas such as coral reefs, devastated by non-sustainable fishing methods -Aim to create areas of refuge where populations can build up and populate adjacent areas
47
What are some advantages of ex-situ conservation?
-Modern techniques make it possible to preserve large amounts of genetic material -Allows in vitro fertilisation -Practise on domestic species -Saves endangered species from experimental work
48
What are some disadvantages of ex-situ conservation?
-Expensive -Space is limited so numbers of species limited - reduces genetic diversity -Lack of variation -Species less able to adapt -May not survive reintroduction to the wild -May not be accepted when reintroduced
49
What do botanic gardens aim to do?
-Species actively managed to provide with best resources to grow, such as provision of soil nutrients, sufficient watering, removal of pests -Roughly 1500 worldwide, 35000 species of plants
50
What is a disadvantage of botanic gardens?
Wild relatives of selectively bred crops under-represented, and are potential source of genes, conferring resistance to disease, pests, parasites
51
What are seed banks? What are their aims?
-Example of a gene bank - store of genetic material -Seeds carefully stored so new plants can be grown in future -Dried and stored at temperatures of -20C to maintain viability, slow down rate at which lose ability to germinate
52
What is are advantages of seed banks?
Almost all temperate seeds, and many tropical, can be stored this way Should remain viable for centuries, back up of extinction of wild plants
53
What is a disadvantage of seed banks?
Don’t work for all plants, some die when dried/frozen, most tropical rainforest trees fall into this category
54
What are captive breeding programmes? What are their aims?
Produce offspring of species in human-controlled environments Scientists aim to create a stable, healthy population, gradually reintroduce to natural habitat
55
What is an advantage of captive breeding?
Provide animals with shelter, food, no predators and veterinary treatment Suitable breeding partners or semen can be imported
56
What is a difficulty with captive breeding?
Maintaining genetic diversity can be difficult, only a small number of partners available, inbreeding can occur
57
How can release be difficult for captive bred animals?
-Diseases: may be loss of resistance to local diseases, new diseases may exist in wild, captive animals yet to develop resistance -Behaviour: some innate, much has to be learned through copying/resistance, food in zoos hidden so animals have to learn to look for it -Genetic races: genetic makeup of captive species different from original, may not be able to interbreed -Habitat: natural habitat must be restored, small suitable habitats may already have as many individuals as possible, reintroduction can cause stress and tension as fighting for food and for territory
58
What is CITES?
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 1973 185 parties involved
59
What are the aims of CITES
Ensure that international trade in specimens does not threaten survival - over 35,000 species are protected -Regulate and monitor international trade in selected species -Ensure that international trade does not endanger survival of populations in the wild -Ensure trade in wild plants for commercial use is prohibited -Ensure that trade in artificially propagated plants is allowed, subject to permit -Ensure some slightly less endangered wild species may be traded subject to a permit, as agreed by exporting and importing countries
60
What is CBD?
Convention on Biological Diversity 1992 172-196 countries (kinda unclear icl)
61
What are the aims of CBD?
Requires countries to develop national strategies for sustainable development, ensuring maintenance of biodiversity
62
What is CSS?
Countryside Stewardship Scheme 1991-2014 England
63
What are the aims of CSS?
Make conservation an aim of normal farming and land management practice -Sustaining beauty and diversity of landscape -Improving, extending and creating wildlife habitats -Restoring neglected land and conserving archaeological and historical features -Improving opportunities for countryside enjoyment

Biology (13 decks)

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