Biodiversity Overview and Species Count

Approximately how many new species were published in 2007?

According to the 'species-scape', which of the following groups is NOT particularly numerous in terms of species?

What was the percentage of species overlap observed between two 50m plots in Terry Erwin's study?

What observation led Terry Erwin to estimate that the total number of living species could be 33 million?

Which statement below best summarizes why Robert M. May is concerned about species loss?

Diversity of Life

Approximately 1,375,500 living animal species are known
At least 500,000 extinct animal forms are described
Nearly 17,000 new species are discovered annually
Beetles are among the most common life forms on Earth
An inventory of living organisms is far from complete.

Species Count and Estimation

One species a second = 12 days, 23 hours of continuous procession.
A "species-scape" visually represents the relative number of species in different groups (e.g., mammals, insects)
Living organisms (including plants, fungi, bacteria) are estimated at 2.3 million species; some estimations range from 3-10 million.
Terry Erwin's study, using fogging, estimated that there might be 33 million species on Earth.
Overlapping species study within a 50m radius showed only 8.7% overlap.
One tree species contained 163 unique beetle species.
Beetles comprise approximately 40% of all insects.

Importance of Species Diversity

The number of species presently existent and the losses are largely unknown.
Human understanding of Earth's species is limited.
Ecosystem services are essential for human survival, and the loss of species can negatively impact these services.

Explore the fascinating diversity of life on Earth, from the vast number of living animal species to the estimates of undiscovered forms. This quiz will cover various aspects of species count, estimation methods, and the importance of maintaining biodiversity in our ecosystems.