Biodiversity Notes

Extinction: The biodiversity of a species occurs when the last member of the species dies.
Ecosystem diversity: Genetic diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems present in the biosphere.
Species diversity: Ecosystem diversity is the number of different species and the relative abundance of each species in a biological community.

Greatest species diversity: Costa Rica (Option B) is likely to have the greatest species diversity compared to Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Rabbits in the photo: The rabbits in the photo demonstrate genetic diversity (Option B).
Species diversity in southern Florida: According to Figure 3, the species diversity in southern Florida is 50–100 species (Option B).
Indirect economic value of biodiversity: Flood protection represents an indirect economic value of biodiversity (Option C).
Collection of locations: A forest, a freshwater lake, an estuary, and a prairie best describe ecosystem diversity (Option A).
Protecting forest sections: The primary goal is to maintain the biodiversity of the area (Option C).

Graph interpretation: The larger the islet, the more biodiversity (Option B).
Conserving biodiversity: Sustainable usage can help conserve an area’s biodiversity (Option D).
Effect of species loss: The loss of species B caused the populations of A and D to increase (Option B).
Pyramid of biological magnification: Toxic substances increase as trophic levels increase in a food chain (Option B).

Attaching value to aesthetic qualities: It is difficult to attach a value to the aesthetic qualities of biodiversity because what one person considers desirable might not be viewed in the same way by another person.
Ecosystem service: Trees provide shade, which is a service that should be protected to ensure that the quality of the service continues.

Background extinction, mass extinction:
- Both terms refer to the elimination of a species from Earth’s biosphere.
- Background extinction is a slow process that does not affect many species at the same time.
- Mass extinction is a relatively fast process that results in the elimination of a large number of species.
Habitat fragmentation, edge effect:
- Both occur when an ecosystem is separated into smaller pieces.
- Habitat fragmentation is the actual process.
- Edge effect is the consequence whereby different environmental conditions are established along the edges of the fragmented habitats.
Overexploitation, introduced species:
- Both can result in a decrease in biodiversity of an ecosystem.
- Overexploitation is the excessive use of a species for its economic value.
- An introduced species is a non-native species that is either intentionally or unintentionally transported to a new habitat.

Habitat impact from edge effects: Habitat A has the greatest impact resulting from edge effects (Option A).
Habitat supporting greater biodiversity: Habitat A naturally supports the greater amount of biodiversity (Option A).
Ways species lose habitats: Background extinction is not a way in which species lose their habitats (Option A).
Current background extinction rate: The current background extinction rate is approximately 1000 times greater than the normal rate (Option C).
Trigger for kelp forest disappearance: Overharvesting of plankton-eating whales triggered the chain of events off the coast of Alaska that caused the kelp forests to begin to disappear (Option C).
Habitat fragmentation: A wooded area divided by a housing development threatens the biodiversity of the area, which is described as habitat fragmentation (Option A).
Direct effect of habitat fragmentation: Box turtles separated by a road and unable to mate is a direct effect caused by habitat fragmentation (Option A).
Direct benefit of biodiversity: Improved soil fertility is a direct benefit of biodiversity (Option C).
Conserving biodiversity: Sustainable usage can help conserve an area’s biodiversity (Option D).
Renewable resources: Wood is considered a renewable resource (Option D).
Ecosystem vulnerability: Island ecosystems would be most vulnerable to extinctions if a disturbance were to occur in an ecosystem (Option B).

Species facing greatest extinction chance: Species X most likely faces the greatest chance of extinction (Option B).

Renewable resources: Resources that are replaced by natural processes faster than they are consumed.
Endemic: Species that are found in only one geographic location.
Bioremediation: The process of using living organisms to detoxify a location.
Nonrenewable resources: Resources that are found in limited amounts or are replaced by natural processes over extremely long periods of time.

Restoring biodiversity: Biological augmentation is a method used to restore biodiversity to a polluted or damaged area (Option A).
Advantage of habitat corridor: Members of species can move safely from one area to another (Option D).
Human-caused disaster recovery time: Groundwater exploitation requires the greatest recovery time (Option A).
Natural disaster recovery time: Lightning strike requires the least amount of recovery time (Option A).
Releasing exotic pets: It is not a good idea to release exotic pets into a local ecosystem because the exotic pet would be an introduced species that can exploit the ecosystem at the expense of native species.
Area of most acid precipitation: Area labelled 1 receives the most acid precipitation.
Background extinction: The natural extinction rate (Option D).
Extinction: A species disappears (Option A).
Wildlife conservation method: A fenced, grass-covered bridge over a highway is a corridor (Option A).
Waste-to-Energy (WTE) bonus: Decreased amount of auto emissions might be anticipated as an additional bonus in communities utilizing WTE (Option D).