Unit 3 Key Area 7

Question 1

State the three components of biodiversity?

Answer 1

• genetic diversity
• species diversity
• ecosystem diversity

Question 2

Define the term genetic diversity in relation to biodiversity?

Answer 2

Genetic diversity is the number and frequency of alleles within a population

Question 3

Define the terms species diversity in relation to biodiversity?

Answer 3

Species diversity is comprised of the number of different species in an ecosystem (species richness). And the proportion of each species in the ecosystem.

Question 4

Define ecosystem diversity in relation to biodiversity?

Answer 4

Ecosystem diversity refers to the number of distinct ecosystems within a defined area

Question 5

State the effect of a population of a species within an ecosystem completely dying out?

Answer 5

When a population of a species within an ecosystem dies out this causes a loss in genetic diversity. This loss in genetic diversity may limit the species’ ability to adapt to changing conditions

Question 6

What can be said about the biodiversity of an ecosystem that has a dominant species?

Answer 6

A community with a dominant species has less species diversity than a community with the same species richness but no particularly dominant species