Biodiversity

• What is biodiversity?

  Variety of living organisms in an area
• What is a habitat?

  Place where an organism lives
• What is a community in ecological terms?

  All populations of different species in a habitat
• What are the levels of biodiversity?

  • Local biodiversity: Variety of species in a small area
  • Global biodiversity: Variety of species on Earth
• How does local biodiversity differ from global biodiversity?

  Local biodiversity is specific to small areas
• What is the estimated total number of species on Earth?

  About 8.7 million
• Where is biodiversity greatest on Earth?

  At the equator and decreases towards poles
• How is biodiversity measured?

  • Using species richness
  • Using an index of diversity
  • Taking random samples of a community
• What does species richness refer to?

  Number of different species in a community
• How can biodiversity be assessed in a community?

  By taking random samples and counting species
• Why is species richness a simple measure of biodiversity?

  It counts only the number of species present
• What is the significance of biodiversity in ecosystems?

  It enhances ecosystem resilience and stability
• What is the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem health?

  Higher biodiversity indicates healthier ecosystems
• How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem services?

  It supports processes like pollination and nutrient cycling
• What factors can threaten biodiversity?

  Habitat loss, pollution, and climate change
• What can be done to protect biodiversity?

  Implementing conservation strategies and habitat protection
• What are the main threats to biodiversity?

  • Habitat destruction
  • Climate change
  • Pollution
  • Overexploitation of resources
  • Invasive species
• What does the study material suggest is a simple measure of biodiversity?

  Counting the number of different species
• How can biodiversity be measured according to the text?

  By taking random samples of a community
• What is a limitation of counting species in a community?

  It doesn't account for population sizes
• What should be considered when counting species in a community?

  Population sizes of those species
• What is the role of an index of diversity?

  It measures biodiversity in a community
• How is an index of diversity calculated?

  Using a formula that considers species richness
• What does the formula for calculating an index of diversity include?

  Number of species and their abundance
• What does the variable \( N \) represent in the diversity formula?

  Total number of organisms of all species
• What does the variable \( n \) represent in the diversity formula?

  Total number of organisms of one species
• What does the variable \( \Sigma \) signify in the diversity formula?

  Sum of values for all species
• What happens to the index of diversity as the number of species increases?

  The index of diversity generally increases
• What does an index of diversity equal when all individuals belong to the same species?

  1
• What are the key components of biodiversity measurement?

  • Counting different species
  • Considering population sizes
  • Using an index of diversity
• What are the implications of treating small populations the same as larger ones in biodiversity studies?

  • Small populations may be overlooked
  • Biodiversity assessments may be skewed
  • Conservation efforts may be misdirected
• What is the significance of the diversity index in ecological studies?

  • Measures biodiversity
  • Helps in conservation planning
  • Indicates ecosystem health
• How does the diversity index formula account for species abundance?

  • It includes total number of individuals
  • It considers the richness of species
  • It calculates the proportion of each species