Biodiversity Review

These flashcards cover key concepts on biodiversity including definitions, causes of extinction, and conservation efforts.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is a measurement of the number and abundance of species present in a given area.

What are the three types of biodiversity?

Species biodiversity, genetic biodiversity, and ecosystem biodiversity.

Why is genetic biodiversity important?

Genetic biodiversity allows populations or species to evolve in response to natural selection.

What percentage of organisms on Earth have been described and named?

Less than 20% of organisms on Earth have been described and named.

What are 'hotspots' of biodiversity?

Biomes near the equator that have greater biodiversity due to favorable environmental conditions.

How do extinction rates affect biodiversity over geological time?

Speciation increases biodiversity while extinction decreases it; there have been five major extinction events on Earth.

What caused the Permian extinction event?

The Permian extinction was caused by extensive volcanic eruptions and runaway global warming.

What is the cause of the Cretaceous extinction?

The Cretaceous extinction was caused by an asteroid impact and volcanic activity that blocked sunlight.

What is the Holocene extinction?

The Holocene extinction is the 6th extinction occurring due to human activities since 400 years ago.

What is the background extinction rate?

The background extinction rate is one per million species per year.

What tools are used for measuring biodiversity?

DNA barcoding sequences rapidly evolving genome areas to verify and catalogue species.

What does CITES do?

CITES prevents the capture and transport of 33,000 species to protect them from illegal trade.

Why are wildlife preserves important?

Wildlife preserves protect ecosystems and species from development and hunting where necessary.

What is the role of keystone species?

Keystone species maintain diversity in their ecosystems and are crucial for ecological balance.

What is the purpose of captive breeding programs?

Captive breeding programs aim to increase genetic diversity and protect threatened species.