BIODIVERSITY

• Biodiversity


  the variety of living organisms in an area
• species


  group of similar organisms able to reproduce to give fertile offspring
• habitat


  area inhabited by species - includes physical factors (abiotic and biotic)
• habitat diversity

  number of different habitats in an area
• species diversity

  number of different species and abundance of each species in an are (measured as species richness or species evenness)
• genetic diversity


  variation of alleles within a population or species
• species richness


  number of different species in an area
• species evenness


  relative abundance of each species in an area
• random sampling


  to avoid bias
• non-random sampling

  • systematic
  • opportunistic
  • stratisfied
• systematic sampling

  fixed intervals, often along a line, follows a particular pattern
• opportunistic 


  samples are chosen by the investigator
• stratified

  different areas of a habitat are identified and sampled separately, in proportion to their part of the habitat as a whole
• simpsons index of diversity


  • a measurement of the total number of organisms compared to the total number of organisms of each species
  • a high index of diversity means several different species are equally abundant, whereas a low index means one or tow species dominate over others
• proportion of polymorphic gene loci = number of polymorphic gene loci/total number of loci
• factors affecting biodiversity

  • population growth
  • deforestation for agriculture
  • climate change affecting habitats
• reasons to maintain biodiversity

  • ecological - protecting species and maintaining resources
  • economical - reducing soil depletion
  • aesthetic - protecting landscapes
• conservation

  protection and management of species and habitats, in order to maintain biodiversity, in-situ or ex-situ
• in-situ conservation

  • marine conservation zones
  • wildlife reserves
• ex-situ conservation

  • seed banks
  • botanic gardens
  • zoos
• CBD - rio convention of biological diversity

  • developed international strategies on conservation and use of resources in a sustainable way
  • international law - everybody's responsibility
  • provides guidance on conserving biodiversity
• CITES - convention on international trade in endangered species


  • increasing international cooperation in regulating trade
  • illegal to kill endangered species
  • limit trade via licensing
  • illegal to trade products form endangered animals
  • raise awareness of threats to biodiversity via education
• CSS - countryside stewardship scheme


  • promotes management techniques to land owners
  • land owners were paid
  • e.g. regenerate hedgerows, leave grassy margins for wildflowers, graze upland areas to keep down bracken