BIODIVERSITY 2

Question 1

How does extinction affect biodiversity?

Answer 1

Extinction reduces biodiversity

Question 2

How does land clearance affect biodiversity?

Answer 2

• Human clearing of land for agriculture removes habitats

* This increases chances for extinction

Question 3

What is monoculture?

Answer 3

Farming of only one type of crop

Question 4

What is an advantage of using monoculture farming?

Answer 4

Makes harvesting easier

Question 5

How does monoculture farming affect biodiveristy?

Answer 5

This has a very low diversity and reduces the variation of animals in this habitat

Question 6

How does monoculture farming affect biodiveristy?

Answer 6

Has a low diversity of food, and reduces the variation of animals in the habitat

Question 7

How does selective breeding affect biodiversity?

Answer 7

Selective breeding is also used in agriculture, leading to genetic erosion
• Genetic erosion reduces genetic diversity
• Prevents organisms from adapting to survive changes in their environment

Question 8

How does deforestation affect diversity?

Answer 8

• Reduces biodiversity
• Loss of habitat
• Destruction of species
• Change in microclimate
• Animals move away to habitats they are worse adapted to
• Disruption of complex food webs

Question 9

What are some advantages to conservation of frests?

Answer 9

Conservation can generate income from eco-tourism
• The forests are a natural source of e.g. fruit, rubber
• Preservation of gene pools that come from conservation mean wild alleles are available to
use in genetic engineering or selective breeding

Question 10

What are advantages of conserving tropical rain forests?

Answer 10

• Tropical rainforests should be conserved to avoid:
○ Loss in species and genetic diversity
○ Disruption of food chains
○ Loss of potential medicines
○ Loss of wood/timber
○ CO2 build-up in atmosphere contributing to global warming
○ Leaching of ions in the soil
○ Soil erosion