Biodiversity- Biodiversity using TM

Biodiversity is the study of the variation between all forms of life in the world or in a specific area. If there is lots of biodiversity it allows more of a chance of species adapt and survive to changes in the environment. Region or area that does not have a lot of habitats it will have a lower biodiversity as it is an extreme habitat.

Species richness- Is the number of species within a community

Species diversity- Is the number of different species and their abundance (how many individual animals) there are in a community (Population size of the species)

Calculate Index of Biodiversity - Step 1: Calculate N(N-1) Total number of organisms-1 times together

Step 2: Calculate n(n-1) for each species for example species number is 7 so 7-1=6 7×6.

Step 3: Add these n(n-1) numbers together.

Step 4: Divide them together.

Higher the number the better the diversity like 1.

What effects the biodiversity-

  • Destroying woodland to plant crops lower the biodiversity as plant (foods) are taken away, this can lead to animal migration which forms competition with other species.

  • Grazing which the environment can now never succeed to overgrazing. Farmers can plant easily digestible grass to be quickly eaten for better yields in farm animals this can be classified as mono-culture which reduces biodiversity as only certain species can grow there.

  • Farmers can remove hedgerows where small animals live as it allows them to have more farm land.

  • Use of pesticides and herbicides, killing food source to pest predator reducing their food source.

  • No crop rotation, only one species is grown, if this happens less nitrogen will be inside the soil meaning the soil is less beneficial for plants leading for farmers to use fertilizer which can cause problems if it runs into a stream.

  • Fill in ponds and wetlands for more fields

This all reduces the biodiversity and genetic diversity If farmers don’t do these things governments have implemented schemes to give them money and opportunities to increase the biodiversity in their farms (County-wide stewardship scheme).

If there was a change to these environments with lower biodiversity species have not adapted and therefore will die out.