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What is the definition of 'biological diversity'?
What is the definition of 'biological diversity'?
The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part.
The Convention on Biological Diversity was established in 1995.
The Convention on Biological Diversity was established in 1995.
False
Which of the following are considered levels of ecological diversity? (Select all that apply)
Which of the following are considered levels of ecological diversity? (Select all that apply)
What is the most basic measure of genetic diversity?
What is the most basic measure of genetic diversity?
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Within a species, genetic diversity can be measured in terms of (Select all that apply)
Within a species, genetic diversity can be measured in terms of (Select all that apply)
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Large populations generally have less genetic diversity than small populations.
Large populations generally have less genetic diversity than small populations.
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The provision of ecosystem services is primarily linked to biodiversity at the population level.
The provision of ecosystem services is primarily linked to biodiversity at the population level.
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What is the primary level of focus when discussing biodiversity?
What is the primary level of focus when discussing biodiversity?
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Approximately how many species have been classified by scientists?
Approximately how many species have been classified by scientists?
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The richness of prokaryotes is well-understood, and their diversity is well-represented in global species numbers.
The richness of prokaryotes is well-understood, and their diversity is well-represented in global species numbers.
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The population is considered an essential element of biodiversity.
The population is considered an essential element of biodiversity.
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What is the distinction between biotic and abiotic elements in an ecosystem?
What is the distinction between biotic and abiotic elements in an ecosystem?
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Biodiversity is defined solely as the variety of life, which encompasses only biotic elements.
Biodiversity is defined solely as the variety of life, which encompasses only biotic elements.
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What is the most common approach to measuring biodiversity?
What is the most common approach to measuring biodiversity?
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What is the term used to describe a set of ecosystems sharing similar characteristics?
What is the term used to describe a set of ecosystems sharing similar characteristics?
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Conservation biology emerged as a discipline in the 1970s, responding to an increase in human-caused species extinctions.
Conservation biology emerged as a discipline in the 1970s, responding to an increase in human-caused species extinctions.
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According to Michael Soule, the founder of conservation biology, what is the nature of this field?
According to Michael Soule, the founder of conservation biology, what is the nature of this field?
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Human activities are considered a significant threat to biodiversity.
Human activities are considered a significant threat to biodiversity.
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What is considered a crucial factor in understanding biodiversity and its impact?
What is considered a crucial factor in understanding biodiversity and its impact?
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A ______ is a group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time.
A ______ is a group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time.
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What does a community consist of?
What does a community consist of?
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What are the two main components of an ecosystem?
What are the two main components of an ecosystem?
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What is the definition of a biome?
What is the definition of a biome?
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What is the biosphere?
What is the biosphere?
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Biodiversity is static and has remained unchanged throughout Earth's history.
Biodiversity is static and has remained unchanged throughout Earth's history.
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Study Notes
Biodiversity Lecture Notes
- Biodiversity is the variety of life, encompassing all living organisms from various sources, including terrestrial, marine, and aquatic ecosystems. This also includes all the related ecological complexes. Diversity exists within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
- Biological diversity is the variability among living organisms.
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- Biodiversity is categorized into three levels:
- Ecological diversity: encompasses scales of ecological differences from populations to habitats, ecosystems, provinces, and biomes.
- Organismal diversity: encompasses the taxonomic hierarchy from individuals to populations, subspecies, species, genera, families, phyla, and kingdoms. Currently, scientists have identified approximately 2 million species.
- Genetic diversity: includes the components of the genetic coding structures of organisms from nucleotides to genes, chromosomes. Genetic variation occurs between individuals within a population and between populations. Genome size (amount of DNA or C-value) is a key measure of genetic diversity. Humans have a genome size of 3.5 pg or 3.4 billion base pairs.
- Genetic diversity measured in terms of, allelic diversity (average number of alleles per locus), gene diversity (heterozygosity across loci), or nucleotide differences.
- Large populations tend to have more genetic diversity than smaller ones and are more stable.
- Issues with genetic diversity:
- Preserving a population or many? Each population has genetically unique members, except identical twins.
- Gene banks can preserve genotypes, but removing populations/habitats may be a concern.
- Issues with organismal diversity:
- Documenting all species is difficult and expensive.
- Genetic diversity between populations is often overlooked.
- Parents and offspring can have conflicting habitat demands, creating confusion about species definitions.
- Issues with ecosystem diversity:
- Ecosystems are diverse, ranging from a petri dish to a forest.
- Ecosystems shift over time (succession), challenging preservation efforts.
- Ecosystems can overlap (like a lake in a forest) blurring ecosystem boundaries.
- Importance of biodiversity definitions in conservation efforts: the specific definition of biodiversity can dramatically affect conservation efforts. Choosing to protect a species alone may ignore its habitats and genetic diversity. Choosing to preserve ecosystems, while important, could lead to eradication of species not fitting the ecosystem structure
- Importance of formulating project and goals strategically to affect desired outcomes.
Important Definitions
- Population: group of individuals of a given species in a specific geographic area at a particular time.
- Community: populations of different species interacting.
- Ecosystem: community of living organisms (biotic) and their environment (abiotic).
- Biome: a set of ecosystems with similar characteristics and abiotic factors adapted to those environments.
- Biosphere: the sum of all ecosystems on Earth; the living component of the Earth system.
How Biodiversity Has Changed Through Time
- Biodiversity has changed throughout history based on fossils, chemical evidence, and molecular clocks, tracing the emergence of life's major domains over billions of years. Earliest life forms, prokaryotes, are the least well understood in species counts
Biodiversity During the Phanerozoic
- Graph depicting biodiversity over time showing trends, major extinction events, and variability in taxonomic levels.
Why Study Conservation Biology?
- Conservation biology emerged in response to the increasing rate of human-caused species extinction worldwide. The estimated extinction rates range from 40-250 species per day.
- This field recognizes the rapid rate of human-caused extinctions and the need for quick, but well-informed decisions. Human activities are the primary factor affecting biodiversity.
Summary of Biodiversity
- Biodiversity is the variety of life in all its forms, often categorized as genetic, organismal, and ecological diversity.
- Number of species (species richness) is a common, but often incomplete, measure of biodiversity.
- Studying the history and different aspects of biodiversity can be challenging and offer incomplete data, necessitating further research.
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Description
Explore the essential concepts of biodiversity, including its various levels and significance to ecosystems. This quiz delves into ecological, organismal, and genetic diversity, as well as the international efforts to preserve biological resources. Test your knowledge on these critical topics and enhance your understanding of the living world.
