Intro to biodiversity

what is a species?

• a group of organisms with similar morphology and physiology

• they are able to interbreed to produce fertile offspring

what is an ecosystem?

all the living organisms that interact with one another in a defined area, and also the abiotic factors present in that area

what is a community?

all the living organisms, of all species, living in the same place at the same time

what is intraspecific competition?

competition between members of different species

what is a habitat?

the place where an organism lives

what is a biotic factor?

an influence on an organism due to other forms of life e.g. predation, disease, competition

what is a biome?

large region of the world that has similar plants, animals and other organisms that are adapted to the terrain and weather of that region

what is interspecific competition?

competition between members of different species

what is a niche?

the role of a particular species of organism in the community and the way in which it responds to environmental factors

what is an abiotic factor?

a non-living environmental influence on an organism

what is an environment?

the large scale physical surroundings of an organism encompassing all abiotic factors

what is a population?

a group of organisms of the same species, living in the same place at the same time

what is biodiversity?

• the variety of living organisms present in an area

what levels can biodiversity be considered at?

• habitat diversity

• species diversity

• genetic diversity

what does global biodiversity include?

all the different plants, animals, fungi and microorganism species worldwide

why is measuring biodiversity important?

• is an important indicator of stability of ecosystems

• essential for conservation

• knowing the number of species present in an area allows scientists to track changes over time e.g. due to climate change, disease or human activity

what is species diversity split into?

species richness and species eveness

what is species richness?

the number of different species in an area

what is species evenness?

the number of individuals of each species within the community

do these have the same or different amounts of species richness and species evenness?

• same species richness

• different species evenness

what odes high species biodiversity require?

high species richness and evenness

what is habitat biodiversity?

the number of different habitats found within an area, with each habitat supporting a number of different species

when keeping area constant what is species richness correlated with?

habitat diversity

what is genetic diversity?

the variety of genes that make up a species

what does high genetic biodiversity lead to?

a variety of characteristics exhibited within a species

how is genetic variation effected in breeding of domestic dogs?

• genetic variability within distinct breeds is decreased as their population size is limited by humans controlling their access to mates

• genetic variation among breeds has increased as different breeds diverges

• net effect is a population that has more genetic diversity than their closest wild cousin, the wolf

what does greater genetic biodiversity allow for?

• allows for better adaption to a changing environment

why is biodiversity important? (significance of biodiversity)

it provides ecosystems with resilience (ecosystem is more stable), so they are better to survive in the face of change

why do ecosystems having good biodiversity create a stable ecosystem?

• interconnections between species in turn strengthen the individual components of the ecosystem

• e.g. a tree can stand on its own but the support of vines will be an added benefit. Fruits from these trees will provide additional food for animals etc.

what is the effect of biodiversity is reduced on other species?

• has the potential to harm all species in the ecosystem, although only relatively few species may be directly impacted

what is a key stone species?

organisms that play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and health of their ecosystem e.g. coral