Biodiversity

• What is biodiversity?

  The number of species and the number of types of species within an area
• How is the number of species calculated after using quadrats?

  mean no. x total area
• How are quadrats randomly placed?

  A grid system or coordinates
• What is a transect?

  Quadrats evenly distributed along a tape measure
• What does a transect do?

  Tells you the number of species and the distribution
• What is capture-recapture?

  Measuring a population that moves around
• What are the limitations of sampling techniques?

  Sample size, representative of an area, marking colour, migration
• What are the threats to biodiversity?

  Changes in land use, over exploitation, climate change and alien species
• What is an example of changes in land use?

  Felling of forests for building and farming
• What is an example of over exploitation?

  Over fishing
• What are alien species?

  New species which can push out existing species
• What is biological control?

  Using one organism to keep the numbers of another organism under control
• Advantages of biological control

  Specific to a particular pest, no need to introduce another predator, pest doesn't develop a resistance
• How is biodiversity protected?

  Seed banks, national parks, SSSI, conservation schemes, CITES and captive breeding programmes
• What does SSSI stand for?

  Sites of Special Scientific interest
• What does CITES stand for?

  Convention on national trade in endangered species