Biodiversity Basics
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of life across all levels of ecological organization.
Why do we need biodiversity?
It provides food, water, air, and other essential resources for life, as well as making the world unique and enjoyable.
Which type of organism has the largest number of identified species?
Insects.
What is species richness?
The number of different species in a given community.
What is relative abundance?
The proportion of individuals of a species compared to the total number of individuals in the community.
Name the three levels of biodiversity.
Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity
What is an invasive species, and how does it affect biodiversity?
An invasive species is one that lands in a new place and disrupts the natural balance, often harming native species and ecosystems.
What are the potential long-term impacts of climate change on global biodiversity?
limate change can lead to habitat loss, species extinction, shifts in species distributions, and disrupted ecosystems, reducing global biodiversity over time.
A community has 5 different species. What is its species richness?
5
How is relative abundance calculated?
By dividing the number of individuals of a species by the total number of individuals in the community.
What do taxonomic groups reflect about species?
Taxonomic groups reflect evolutionary relationships among species.
What is the interdependence between species?
It is when two species rely on each other for survival.
What are the most effective strategies for conserving endangered species and preserving biodiversity?
Protecting habitats, enforcing conservation laws like the Endangered Species Act, reducing pollution, controlling invasive species, and promoting sustainable resource use.
If two communities each have 10 species, what additional metric could help distinguish their biodiversity?
Relative abundance or species evenness.
A community has 50 individuals of Species A and 50 individuals of Species B. What is the relative abundance of each species?
50% for Species A and 50% for Species B.
What is the role of taxonomists in studying biodiversity?
Taxonomists classify and name species based on their physical traits and genetic makeup, organizing them into taxonomic groups that reflect evolutionary relationships.
How does biodiversity contribute to the stability and resilience of ecosystems?
Biodiversity supports stability by providing redundancy in ecosystem roles, improving resource use, resisting disturbances, and enabling adaptation to environmental changes.
What is the "latitudinal gradient" in biodiversity?
Answer: Biodiversity increases as you move closer to the equator.
Community A has the following species populations:
The species richness is 3.
In a community of 100 total individuals, Species A has 10, Species B has 60, and Species C has 30. Calculate the relative abundance for each species.
Explain how ecosystem diversity contributes to overall biodiversity.
hint** think about what ecosystem diversity is
Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes within an area. Greater ecosystem diversity supports more species and interactions, increasing overall biodiversity.
What does the Endangered Species Act do to protect biodiversity?
It is a law that protects animals and plants in danger of extinction by safeguarding their habitats and ecosystems.
Why do tropical regions have higher biodiversity than temperate regions?
Tropical regions have a stable climate, more sunlight, and longer growing seasons, which support greater species richness and diversity.
Explain why species richness alone does not fully capture biodiversity.
Species richness does not account for the relative abundance of species, which affects ecological balance.
Compare the biodiversity of two communities, one with even relative abundance and one with a dominant species. How does this affect ecosystem stability?
A community with even relative abundance is more stable and resilient, while one with a dominant species is more vulnerable to environmental changes.