biodiversity

• What is biodiversity?

  Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms.
• How has biodiversity changed over time?

  Biodiversity has become more extensive but is now threatened by human activity.
• What human activities threaten biodiversity?

  Deforestation, agriculture, and climate change threaten biodiversity.
• What are the two main ways to measure biodiversity?

  • Species richness: number of different species in a community.
  • Species evenness: comparison of abundance of different species in a habitat.
• How is species richness measured?

  Species richness is measured by counting the number of species present.
• What is random sampling used for in measuring biodiversity?

  Random sampling is used to obtain a representative sample of an area under investigation.
• What is systematic sampling?

  Systematic sampling involves following a particular pattern, such as taking samples every few meters.
• What is opportunistic sampling?

  Opportunistic sampling is taking a sample when a source is encountered based on ease of access.
• What is stratified sampling?

  Stratified sampling involves subdividing the population into strata based on common characteristics and taking a random sample from each stratum.
• What is genetic diversity?

  Genetic diversity is a measure of the genetic variation found in a particular species.
• How is genetic diversity determined?

  Genetic diversity can be determined by calculating the heterozygosity index (H).
• What does a higher heterozygosity index (H) indicate?

  A higher heterozygosity index (H) indicates more genetic diversity in a species.
• What is the formula for calculating the heterozygosity index (H)?

  H = number of heterozygotes / number of individuals in the population.
• What is the formula for the index of diversity (D)?

  D = Diversity index, where N is the total number of organisms and n is the total number of organisms of each species.
• Why is maintaining biodiversity important?

  Maintaining biodiversity is important for ecological, economic, and aesthetic reasons.
• What are the methods of conserving biodiversity?

  • In situ methods: marine conservation zones and wildlife reserves.
  • Ex situ methods: zoos, seed banks, and botanic gardens.
• What is the purpose of marine conservation zones and wildlife reserves?

  They serve to protect wildlife in their natural habitats.
• What are seed banks used for?

  Seed banks store seeds to conserve genetic diversity and prevent plant species from going extinct.
• Why is storing seeds more advantageous than storing whole plants?

  Storing seeds is cheaper and takes up less space than storing whole plants.
• What conditions are seeds stored in to maximize their viability?

  Seeds are stored in cool, dry conditions to maximize storage time.
• What is the role of international cooperation in biodiversity conservation?

  International cooperation is needed for effective biodiversity conservation.
• Name one historic agreement related to biodiversity conservation.

  Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
• What is classification in biology?

  Classification is the process of naming and organizing organisms into groups based on their characteristics.
• Into how many kingdoms can organisms be grouped?

  Organisms can be grouped into five kingdoms.
• What is the binomial system of naming species?

  The binomial system names species with the genus first and the species second.
• What is molecular phylogeny?

  Molecular phylogeny is the analysis of molecular differences to determine evolutionary relatedness.
• What are the three domains of life?

  The three domains are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota.
• What is a niche in ecology?

  A niche is the role of a species within its environment.
• How does natural selection relate to species survival?

  Natural selection is the process where better adapted species survive and pass on advantageous genes.
• What are anatomical adaptations?

  Anatomical adaptations are physical adaptations, either external or internal.
• What are behavioral adaptations?

  Behavioral adaptations are changes in behavior that improve an organism's chance of survival.
• What are physiological adaptations?

  Physiological adaptations are processes inside an organism's body that increase its chance of survival.
• What is the process of evolution?

  Evolution is the process by which the frequency of alleles in a gene pool changes over time due to natural selection.
• What are the steps of evolution via natural selection?

  1. Variety of phenotypes within a population.
  2. Environmental change occurs, altering selection pressure.
  3. Some individuals possess advantageous alleles.
  4. Advantageous alleles are passed to offspring.
  5. Over time, allele frequency changes, leading to evolution.
• What happens when two populations become reproductively isolated?

  New species will be formed due to the accumulation of different genetic information over time.
• Who is Charles Darwin?

  Charles Darwin is a scientist known for his observations that provided evidence for the theory of evolution.
• What did Darwin observe about finches on the Galapagos Islands?

  Darwin observed that finches with beaks suited to available food were more likely to survive.
• What is the significance of fossils in evolution?

  Fossils provide evidence by comparing extinct organisms to those alive today and dating rocks for timelines.
• How does molecular biology contribute to the evidence for evolution?

  Molecular biology examines similarities and differences between DNA sequences in different organisms.
• What is comparative anatomy?

  Comparative anatomy involves comparing the anatomy of different organisms by looking at homologous structures.