Biodiversity

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of living organisms present in an area.

Question 2

What is habitat biodiversity?

Answer 2

The number of different habitats in an area.

Question 3

What two factors determine species biodiversity?

Answer 3

Species richness and species evenness.

Question 4

What is species richness?

Answer 4

The number of different species living in an area.

Question 5

What is species evenness?

Answer 5

A comparison of the populations of different species in a community.

Question 6

What is a species?

Answer 6

A group of organisms that are able to interbreed producing fertile offspring.

Question 7

What is a habitat?

Answer 7

An environment in which organisms live.

Question 8

What is a community?

Answer 8

All the different species living within an area.

Question 9

What is a population?

Answer 9

All the members of the same species living within the same habitat.

Question 10

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 10

A community of living organisms and abiotic components in a specific habitat, which interact. They are dynamic.

Question 11

Which latitudes of the earth are the most biodiverse?

Answer 11

Tropical and subtropical regions.

Question 12

What is genetic biodiversity?

Answer 12

The variety of genes within a population/species (more alleles = higher diversity).

Question 13

What is genetic polymorphism?

Answer 13

The occurrence of alternative DNA sequences (alleles) at a locus among individuals, groups or populations, at a frequency greater than 1%.

Question 14

What is a locus?

Answer 14

The specific position of a gene on a chromosome.

Question 15

What makes a gene polymorphic?

Answer 15

If more than one allele occupies that gene’s locus within a population. e.g: eye colour

Question 16

What makes a gene monomorphic?

Answer 16

If there is only one allele at that gene’s locus within the population.

Question 17

How do you calculate the proportion of polymorphic gene loci?

Answer 17

Divide the number of polymorphic gene loci by the total number of gene loci.

Question 18

What decreases genetic biodiversity?

Answer 18

Selective breeding
Artificial cloning
Natural selection
Genetic bottlenecks
The founder effect
Captive breeding
Human population growth
Agriculture
Climate change

Question 19

What increases genetic biodiversity?

Answer 19

Mutation
Interbreeding
Genetic modification

Question 20

What is genetic drift?

Answer 20

Change in allele frequency of a population over time.

Question 21

What is a population bottleneck?

Answer 21

When a population’s size is significantly reduced for at least one generation resulting in less genetic diversity due to a small gene pool. (e.g: natural disaster such as disease)

Question 22

What is the founder effect?

Answer 22

When a new colony is started, there is a smaller population with a non-random sample of alleles from the original population, resulting in less genetic biodiversity due to less alleles in the surviving population.
The modern population is descended from only a few survivors.

Question 23

What are 3 reasons for maintaining biodiversity?

Answer 23

Aesthetic
Economic
Ecological

Question 24

Outline the aesthetic reasons for maintaining biodiversity.

Answer 24

Biodiversity is essential for human wellbeing, so landscapes must be maintained.

Question 25

Outline the economic reasons for maintaining biodiversity.

Answer 25

The medical use of organisms to develop new drugs. Fertile soil for growing crops (monoculture results in soil depletion) Tourism.

Question 26

Outline the ecological reasons for maintaining biodiversity.

Answer 26

Interdependence of organisms (e,g: bees pollinate trees). Keystone species play a key role in maintaining the structure of their ecological community, and affect many other organisms. Maintenance of genetic resources.

Question 27

What is conservation?

Answer 27

The maintenance of biodiversity by active, sustainable management of an ecosystem. Conservation is a dynamic process involving management and reclamation.

Question 28

What is the difference between in situ and ex situ conservation?

Answer 28

In situ occurs inside the natural habitat. | Ex situ occurs outside the natural habitat.

Question 29

What are the benefits of in situ conservation? (3)

Answer 29

Cheaper Maintains interdependence of organisms Maintains genetic diversity and adaptability

Question 30

What are two examples of in situ conservation efforts?

Answer 30

Wildlife reserves | Marine conservation zones

Question 31

What are 6 in situ conservation strategies?

Answer 31

``` Controlling grazing Restricting human access Controlling poaching Feeding animals Reintroducing species Culling invasive species ```

Question 32

What is the use of ex situ conservation?

Answer 32

Ensures survival of endangered species when coupled with in situ conservation

Question 33

What are 3 examples of ex situ conservation strategies?

Answer 33

Botanic gardens Seed banks Captive breeding programmes (zoos)

Question 34

What are 3 negatives of captive breeding programmes?

Answer 34

Some captive animals lose resistance to disease. Animals lose learned survival behaviours. Animals can become too genetically different from wild members of their species.

Question 35

What is the purpose of conservation agreements?

Answer 35

Preventing the loss of biodiversity on a national and international level.

Question 36

What is CITES?

Answer 36

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species | An international agreement ensuring that trade in wild animals does not threaten their survival.

Question 37

What are the 3 goals of CITES?

Answer 37

Regulate, monitor and prevent trade in endangered species. Ensure international trade does not threaten wild populations. Prohibit commercial trade in wild plants.

Question 38

What is CBD (rio convention)?

Answer 38

Convention on Biological Diversity

Question 39

What are the 3 aims of CBD?

Answer 39

Sustainable use of the components of biological diversity. Fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources amongst nations. International cooperation on biodiversity issues and ex situ conservation (e.g: seed banks).

Question 40

What is CSS?

Answer 40

Countryside Stewardship Scheme | Encourage farmers and local land owners to adopt conservation measures on a local/national level.

Question 41

What are the 4 goals of CSS?

Answer 41

Sustain the beauty and diversity of the landscape, Improve and extend wildlife habitats. Improve opportunities for countryside enjoyment. Conserve habitats, landscape features, archaeological sites, historic features.

Question 42

What are the benefits of greater species diversity?

Answer 42

The community is more stable and more able to cope with biotic and abiotic changes.