Biodiversity

What is the definition of 'biodiversity'?

The term refers to the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region.

What are the three hierarchical levels of biodiversity?

Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecological (or community) diversity.

What is genetic diversity?

The variation in genes within a species, which allows it to adapt to changing environments.

What is an example of genetic diversity in humans?

The number of genes in Homo sapiens is estimated to be between 35,000 to 45,000.

What is an example of genetic diversity in plants?

There are 32,000-50,000 varieties of rice (Oryza sativa).

What concept describes the number of species per unit area?

Species richness.

What is species diversity?

The variety of species in a particular area or ecosystem.

The Western Ghats have a greater amphibian species diversity than the ____.

Eastern Ghats

What is ecological diversity?

The diversity at the level of ecosystem, habitat, and community.

Why does India have greater ecological diversity than a Scandinavian country like Norway?

India has a variety of ecosystems like deserts, rain forests, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, and alpine meadows.

What is the general pattern of biodiversity as one moves from the poles to the equator?

Species diversity decreases from the equator towards the poles.

Which country, located near the equator, has nearly 1,400 species of birds?

Colombia.

A forest in which region might have up to 10 times as many species of vascular plants as a temperate region like the Midwest of the USA?

Ecuador.

What are the three proposed reasons for greater biodiversity in the tropics?

Speciation is a function of time (less glaciation), tropical environments are less seasonal and more constant, and more solar energy is available leading to higher productivity.

Who proposed the species-area relationship?

Alexander von Humboldt.

According to the species-area relationship, what happens to species richness as the explored area increases?

It increases up to a certain limit.

What is the equation for the species-area relationship?

S = CA^z

In the species-area relationship equation S = CA^z, what does 'S' represent?

Species richness.

In the species-area relationship equation S = CA^z, what does 'A' represent?

Area.

In the species-area relationship equation S = CA^z, what does 'z' represent?

Slope of the line (regression coefficient).

On a logarithmic scale, what is the equation for the species-area relationship?

log S = log C + Z log A.

What is the typical range for the value of Z (regression coefficient) in a species-area relationship, regardless of the taxonomic group or region?

The value of Z typically ranges from 0.1 to 0.2.

For very large areas like entire continents, the slope of the species-area relationship curve is much steeper, with a Z value around what?

The Z value is about 1.15.

Who proposed the 'rivet popper hypothesis' to explain the importance of species richness?

Paul Ehrlich.

In the 'rivet popper hypothesis,' what does the airplane represent?

The ecosystem.

In the 'rivet popper hypothesis,' what do the rivets on the airplane represent?

Species.

According to the 'rivet popper hypothesis,' what is the significance of removing a 'key' rivet (a keystone species)?

It is a more serious threat to flight safety (ecosystem function) than the loss of a few rivets on seats or windows.

What is the 'narrowly utilitarian' argument for conserving biodiversity?

It states that we should conserve biodiversity for direct economic benefits from nature, such as food, firewood, fiber, and industrial products.

Quinine, a drug used to treat malaria, is derived from the bark of which tree?

Cinchona ledgeriana.

Morphine, used as an analgesic, is obtained from which plant?

Papaver somniferum.

What is the 'broadly utilitarian' argument for conserving biodiversity?

It focuses on the major role biodiversity plays in providing ecosystem services, such as oxygen production, pollination, and climate regulation.

What is the 'ethical' argument for conserving biodiversity?

It argues that every species has an intrinsic value and a moral duty to care for them, regardless of their economic use to us.

Name one of the recently extinct organisms mentioned in the text that was a flightless bird from Mauritius.

Dodo.

Name one of the recently extinct organisms mentioned in the text that was a subspecies of zebra from Africa.

Quagga.

Name one of the recently extinct organisms mentioned in the text that was a large marine mammal from Russia.

Steller's Sea cow.

Name one of the recently extinct organisms mentioned in the text that was a carnivorous marsupial from Australia.

Thylacine.

Name the three subspecies of tiger that have recently gone extinct.

Bali, Caspian, and Javan.

What is considered the most important cause of animal and plant extinctions?

Habitat loss and fragmentation.

The introduction of the predatory Nile Perch into which lake led to the extinction of over 200 species of cichlid fish?

Lake Victoria in east Africa.

What is an example of an invasive weed species mentioned in the text that competes with native species in India?

Lantana camara.

What is the term for when a species becomes extinct because a plant or animal it depends on for survival also becomes extinct?

Co-extinction.

The extinction of a host fish species would lead to the extinction of its unique ____.

Parasites.

What are the two main strategies for biodiversity conservation?

In-situ (on-site) and ex-situ (off-site) conservation.

What is in-situ conservation?

The conservation of species within their natural habitats or ecosystems.

Name two examples of in-situ conservation methods.

Biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, or sacred groves.

What is the innermost, legally protected zone of a biosphere reserve where no human activity is allowed?

The core zone.

Which zone of a biosphere reserve surrounds the core and is used for activities compatible with conservation, like research and education?

The buffer zone.

Which is the outermost zone of a biosphere reserve where active cooperation between reserve management and local people occurs?

The transition zone.

What are 'sacred groves'?

Tracts of forest set aside by tribal peoples for religious reasons, leading to the protection of all the flora and fauna within them.

What is ex-situ conservation?

The conservation of threatened plants and animals outside their natural habitat.

Name three examples of ex-situ conservation methods.

Zoos, botanical gardens, cryopreservation, seed banks, or tissue culture.

What is the name of the largest botanical garden in the world, located at Kew, London?

Royal Botanical Garden.

What is cryopreservation?

A technique where gametes, tissues, or cells of important and endangered species are preserved in a viable state at very low temperatures (-196°C) using liquid nitrogen.

What is the purpose of a seed bank?

To preserve seeds under cold and dry conditions for future use, maintaining their viability for long periods.

What is tissue culture used for in conservation?

It's a method of artificially growing plant (or animal) tissues under controlled in vitro conditions to propagate rare species.

What defines a 'biodiversity hotspot'?

A biogeographic region that is both rich in biodiversity and under threat of destruction.

To qualify as a hotspot, a region must have a high degree of what characteristic?

Endemism (species found only in that area).

To qualify as a hotspot, a region must also have a high degree of what?

Threat (measured in terms of habitat loss).

How many biodiversity hotspots have been identified worldwide?

34

Name two of the three biodiversity hotspots found in India.

Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, and Indo-Burma.

What is the purpose of the Ramsar Convention?

The conservation and wise use of wetlands of international importance.

In which year and city was the Convention on Wetlands signed?

1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar.

What is the Red Data Book?

A catalogue of taxa facing the risk of extinction, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The historic 'Earth Summit' was held in which city and year?

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992.

What were the three main aims that resulted from the Earth Summit's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)?

1. Conservation of biological diversity, 2. Sustainable use of biodiversity, and 3. Equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources.

The 'World Summit on Sustainable Development' was held in which city and year?

Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.

What was the primary goal of the World Summit on Sustainable Development?

To have world leaders develop a ten-year plan to work for economic development, social development, and environmental protection.