ESS topic 3.1 Biodiversity and evolution

Biodiversity (3.1.1)

The total diversity of living systems at habitat, species and genetic levels. Examples: Rainforest ecosystems, coral reefs, grasslands

Habitat diversity (3.1.1)

Range of different habitats in an ecosystem. Examples: Woodland (rivers, soil, dead trees), desert (sand, vegetation patches)

Species diversity (3.1.1)

Variety and relative abundance of species in an area. Examples: Tropical rainforests, Mount Kinabalu, Great Barrier Reef

Genetic diversity (3.1.1)

Range of genetic material within a population or species. Examples: Eye color in humans, tuskless/tusked elephants, blood types

Resilience (3.1.2)

Ability of a system to maintain equilibrium and avoid tipping points. Examples: Coral reefs, prairie systems, tropical forests

Evolution (3.1.3)

Cumulative changes in genetic composition of populations over generations. Examples: Darwin's finches, peppered moths, antibiotic resistance

Natural selection (3.1.4, 3.1.5)

Process where organisms best adapted to environment survive and reproduce. Examples: Galapagos finches, Gorongosa elephants

Variation (3.1.5)

Differences between individuals in a population. Examples: Beak shapes in finches, coat colors, height in humans

Overproduction (3.1.5)

Species produce more offspring than environment can support. Examples: Sea turtle eggs, tree seedlings, fish spawn

Competition (3.1.5)

Struggle between organisms for limited resources. Examples: Plants competing for light, predators for prey, males for mates

Adaptation (3.1.5)

Characteristics helping organisms survive in their environment. Examples: Tortoise shell shapes, bird beaks, cactus spines

Speciation (3.1.6)

Formation of new species through evolution. Examples: Apple maggot flies, Galapagos finches, Darwin's mockingbirds

Species richness (3.1.7)

Number of different species in an area. Examples: 36 species in primary forest, 42 in logged forest, 14 in plantation

Species evenness (3.1.7)

How similar population sizes are between species. Examples: Equal numbers vs one dominant species

Simpson's reciprocal index (3.1.8)

Mathematical measure of species diversity (D=N(N-1)/Σn(n-1)). Examples: D=3.28 in woodland study

Citizen science (3.1.9)

Public participation in scientific research and data collection. Examples: Kinabalu birdwing monitoring, bird counts, water testing

Parabiologists (3.1.9)

Indigenous people trained to gather biodiversity information. Examples: Local butterfly monitors in Borneo, wildlife trackers

Mutation (3.1.10)

Random changes in DNA sequence. Examples: Blue eye color gene, tuskless elephant trait, sickle cell

Sexual reproduction (3.1.10)

Genetic mixing through fusion of gametes from two parents. Examples: Plant pollination, animal mating, flower fertilization

Reproductive isolation (3.1.11)

Prevention of interbreeding between populations. Examples: Geographic barriers, different breeding seasons, behavioral differences

Geographical separation (3.1.11)

Physical barriers preventing population mixing. Examples: Mountains, oceans, rivers

Ecological separation (3.1.11)

Different habitat preferences preventing interbreeding. Examples: Ground vs canopy dwelling beetles, deep vs shallow water fish

Behavioural separation (3.1.11)

Different behaviors preventing interbreeding. Examples: Different mating displays, feeding times, breeding seasons

Endemism (3.1.11)

Species found only in one geographical area. Examples: Madagascar lemurs, Kinabalu pitcher plants, Galapagos tortoises

Biodiversity hotspots (3.1.12, 3.2.8)

Areas with high biodiversity especially threatened. Examples: Madagascar, Western Ghats, Caribbean Islands

Artificial selection (3.1.14)

Human-directed breeding for desired traits. Examples: Cabbage varieties, cattle breeding, dog breeds

Geological epochs (3.1.16)

Major divisions of geological time. Examples: Holocene, Pleistocene, Anthropocene

Mass extinction (3.1.17)

Loss of >75% of species in short geological time. Examples: Cretaceous-Tertiary, Permian extinction, End Triassic

Anthropocene (3.1.18, 3.1.19)

Proposed epoch marked by human impact on Earth systems. Examples: CO2 increase, species extinction, plastic pollution