Biodiversity Within A Community

• Define Biodiversity


  The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable
• Define Species Richness


  A measure of the number of different species represented in an ecological community, landscape or region
• Define Index of Diversity


  The relationship between the number of species in a community and the number of individuals in each species
• Equation for Index Diversity

  
• How can agricultural practices reduce biodiversity?


  1. Woodland clearance - increases area of farmland, but directly reduces number of trees and tree species - destroying habitats, shelters and food sources.

  
  

  2. Hedgerow removal - done to increase area of farmland - reduces biodiversity and destroys habitats, shelters and food sources.

  
  

  3. Pesticides - reduces diversity as pests killed. Any predators with pests as prey will lose out.

  
  

  4. Herbicides - reduces diversity as unwanted plants / weeds killed - eliminates food source also.

  
  

  5. Monoculture - Farmers have fields containing only one type of plant ---> single type of plant reduces biodiversity directly and will support fewer organisms - either as a habitat or food source.
• Explain the balance between conservation and farming?

  1. Giving legal protection to endangered species.

  
  

  2. Creating protected areas such as SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) => restrict further development, including agricultural development.

  
  

  3. Environmental Stewardship scheme which encourages farmers to conserve biodiversity - by planting hedgerows and leaving margins around fields for vegetation to grow.