Biodiversity, Life Table, Succession, Biomes Quiz

Biodiversity, Life Table, Succession, Biomes, Asymbiotic and Symbiotic Relations

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It encompasses genetic diversity within species, the variety of species itself, and the number of ecosystems on our planet. Understanding biodiversity is crucial because it underpins the functioning of ecosystems, provides essential services like crop pollination, climate regulation, and water purification, and offers potential for new medicines and sustainable products. Factors threatening biodiversity include habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, diseases, and climate change.

Life Table

A life table tracks the survival rates of individuals in a population across different stages of their life cycle. Data collected can include birth rates, death rates, age distribution, and reproduction patterns. This information helps us understand the dynamics of a population, predict future trends, and identify strategies for conservation.

Succession

Succession is the process by which communities of plants and animals change over time in response to environmental disturbances or changes. There are two types of succession: primary and secondary. In primary succession, new life is established on land that was previously barren or uninhabited. This can occur after volcanic eruptions or glacial retreat. In secondary succession, an existing community is disturbed and then regrows. Examples include forests that have been logged or cleared for agriculture.

Biomes

Biomes are geographic areas with distinct assemblages of plants and animals that are shaped by the climate and environment. They include deserts, forests, grasslands, tundra, and coral reefs. Understanding biomes helps us understand global patterns of species distribution and ecosystem functioning.

Asymbiotic and Symbiotic Relations

Asymbiotic relations refer to interactions between species that do not involve a close, long-term partnership. Examples include predation, competition, and herbivory.

Symbiotic relationships, on the other hand, involve two or more species living in close, prolonged contact, where one species benefits, the other is neither harmed nor benefited, or both species benefit. Examples include mutualistic relationships like pollination or mycorrhizal associations, where fungi help plants absorb nutrients, and commensalistic relationships, where one species gains some benefit without harming the other.