Biodiversity

• If comparing the biodiversity of two habitats, the number of different species in each habitat is important (species richness) but also the number of individuals of each species (species evenness)
• Species richness (diversity): number of different species and abundance of each species in an area and species evenness: measure of relative abundance of each species
• Habitat: Place where individuals of a species live, has a specific locality, conditions and organisms (who are well-adapted)
• Genetic: Variation between individuals in species; all generally look a little different, and genetic diversity: variation and range of alleles in a species
• Species: Organisms are similar in appearance, anatomy, biochemistry and able to interbreed producing fertile offspring; all are different either structurally or functionally
• Why Sample? To...

  • See if human activities are affecting the habitat
  • Help in the planning process of a major construction and performing an EIA
  • Help maintain, and minimise the damage to, habitats
• Environment Impact Assessment (EIA); the effect on the environment must be considered when undertaking ecological work - aim is to cause minimum disturbance to the habitat and the species living there
• Measuring: Most habitats are too large to count all the species and all the organisms of each species - it would take too much time - taking a sample of the habitat means studying a small area of the habitat; it is assumed that this area is representative of the habitat overall
• Sampling Methods 


  Random sampling

  Non-random sampling (Systematic, Stratified, or Opportunistic)