Chapter 2 Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
A measure of the variation found in the living world
What is species richness?
The number of different species in a given area
What is species evenness?
A measure of the relative abundance of the different species in a given area
Definition of species?
A group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What are some techniques to catch small invertebrates?
- Sweeping nets: sweep a stout net in wide arcs through vegetation
- Pooter: collect animals before flying away
- Pitfall trap: small container buried in the soil with the rim just below the surface and a little water as the bottom
- Tullgren funnel: funnel containing leaf litter and a mesh screen the animals fall through into a jar beneath
What is used to trap small mammals?
Longworth trap
What is meant by monoculture?
A crop consisting of one strain of species
What equation is used to calculate diversity of a habitat?
Simpsons index
What is a polymorphic gene locus?
A locus that has more than 2 alleles (increases genetic diversity)
What is genetic diversity in terms of alleles and loci?
Genetic diversity is found when there is more than one allele for a particular locus
How does agriculture negatively affect biodiversity?
- Deforestation for more space for cattle
- Creating monocultures reducing genetic diversity
- Selective breeding reducing genetic diversity
How does climate change negatively affect biodiversity?
Animals cannot adapt to changes in temperature and rainfall
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a disproportionate affect upon its environment relative to its abundance
What is meant by soil depletion?
The loss of soil fertility caused by removal of minerals by continuous cropping
What are ecological reasons to maintain biodiversity?
- Interdependence of organisms
- Genetic resource (genetic diversity declines so we lose natural solutions to our problems)
