Ecosystems

LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY

The sum total of all information contained in the genes of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms.
Includes the genetic variation between distinct populations of the same species, or variations within a population
Plays a key role in the survival and adaptability of species to changing environmental conditions
- Variations in the gene allows an organism’s morphoanatomy or physiology to change between generations → allows them to adapt and survive over time
- Vulnerability to diseases goes down if genetic diversity goes up

The variety of species within a given spatial context
- Includes their abundance, distribution and functions or interactions
Two main factors when measuring species diversity → Richness and Evenness
- Richness - a measure of the number of different kinds of organisms present in a particular area, regardless of scale
- Ex: the number of organisms living in a spoonful of soil, or on a larger scale, such as the earth
- Evenness - compares the similarity of the population size of each species present
- Some habitats/ecosystems have higher species diversity, such as coral reefs and tropical rainforests
- However, other habitats (like high altitude lakes, deserts, deep sea environments) have lower species diversity

The distribution and abundance of habitats, biotic communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere
Presence of variety of habitats also supports a different set of species exhibiting different genetic variations in that region’