I can define biodiversity
What is a population?
A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area at the same time.
What is the difference between abiotic and biotic factors?
Abiotic factors are non-living physical and chemical elements in the environment (like water, sunlight, and temperature), while biotic factors are living components (like plants, animals, and microorganisms).
How do rising temperatures impact animal populations?
Rising temperatures can lead to habitat loss, altered food availability, and increased stress on species, potentially reducing their populations and biodiversity.
Name two benefits of biodiversity to humans.
Biodiversity provides a wide range of medicinal resources; many modern medicines are derived from compounds found in plants and animals.
This hypothesis proposes that herbivores are prevented from completely consuming plants by the actions of their predators.
What is the green world hypothesis?
Give a definition of species.
What is the impact of habitat loss on biodiversity?
Habitat loss reduces the available living space for species, leading to declines in population sizes and possibly extinction, thereby decreasing biodiversity.
How do trophic cascades influence ecosystem health?
Trophic cascades occur when changes in the population of a top predator affect multiple lower trophic levels, leading to changes in species composition and ecosystem health.
List two economic benefits of biodiversity
Two economic benefits are tourism and recreation associated with natural areas and the provision of raw materials for industries, such as pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
Paine's experiments on the rocky shores of Washington state demonstrated that removing this type of species from the ecosystem led to a dramatic shift in community structure.
What is a keystone species?
What is an example of biodiversity?
An example of biodiversity is a rainforest, which contains a vast number of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms.
What are invasive species and how do they affect biodiversity?
Invasive species are non-native species that can harm local ecosystems, outcompeting native species for resources and disrupting food webs.
Describe how pollution can affect ecosystem stability.
Pollution can introduce toxins into the environment, harming species, disrupting food chains, and degrading habitat quality, which reduces ecosystem stability.
How does biodiversity contribute to food security?
Biodiversity ensures a variety of crops and livestock, which can provide resilience against pests, diseases, and changing climate conditions, thereby securing food sources.
Paine's experiments showed that the removal of this predatory sea star species allowed mussels to dominate the rocky shore, outcompeting other species.
What is the Pisaster ochraceus
Why is biodiversity important?
Biodiversity is important because it enhances ecosystem productivity, contributes to ecological stability, provides resources for food and medicine, and supports ecosystem services.
Describe one biotic factor that can affect biodiversity.
One biotic factor is the presence of predators, which can control the population of prey species and thus affect overall biodiversity.
Explain the role of keystone species in an ecosystem.
Keystone species are vital for maintaining the structure of an ecosystem; their presence or absence can significantly affect the ecosystem's diversity and stability.
Why is genetic diversity important for agriculture?
Genetic diversity in crops allows for resilience to diseases, pests, and environmental changes, ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and food supply.
This ecological process describes how the removal of a top predator can indirectly benefit the producers (plants) in an ecosystem through a chain of interactions.
What is a trophic cascade
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecosystem variety.
What are two abiotic factors that affect biodiversity?
Two abiotic factors are temperature and water availability.
How can climate change impact an ecosystem's stability?
Climate change can alter temperature and precipitation patterns, affecting species distribution, food availability, and breeding cycles, leading to instability in ecosystems.
What role does biodiversity play in medicine?
Biodiversity provides a wide range of medicinal resources; many modern medicines are derived from compounds found in plants and animals.
Paine's experiments provided evidence for this theory, which states that the number of trophic levels in a food web is limited by the availability of energy.
What is the green world hypothesis?