Measuring Biodiversity of an ecosystem

Question 1

Lincoln-Peterson Index Formula:

Answer 1

N = M x n / m

N is the size of the target population
M is the number of individuals caught, tagged, and released in the first sampling
n is the number of individuals caught in the second sampling
m is the number of tagged individuals caught in the second sampling

Question 2

Limitations and Assumptions of the Lincoln Index are ____ (out of 6)

Answer 2

• mixing is complete
• marks do not disappear
• marks are not harmful nor increase predation
• able to catch each organism easily
• no immigration/emigration/births/deaths
• organisms do not become trap shy/trap friendly

Question 3

Biodiversity can be measured as ___ (out of 3)

Answer 3

• genetic diversity
• species diversity
• ecological diversity

Question 4

Species diversity can be measured through ___ (out of 5)

Answer 4

• species richness
• species evenness - relative species abundance
• percentage cover
• percentage frequency
• Simpson’s diversity Index

Question 5

Species diversity:

Answer 5

the number of species and the relative abundance of each species that live in a particular location

Question 6

Genetic diversity:

Answer 6

the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species

Question 7

Species richness:

Answer 7

the number of species present in an ecosystem

Question 8

Relative species abundance:

Answer 8

how many of each species is present

Question 9

Percentage cover (quadrats):

Answer 9

an estimate of the percentage of a quadrat that a species is occupying

Question 10

Percentage frequency (quadrats):

Answer 10

the proportion of quadrats that contain a particular species

Question 11

Simpson’s diversity index:

Answer 11

(Formula will be in booklet)
where n = the number of individuals of each species
where N = the total number of individuals at the site