12 Questions
What is the relationship between biodiversity and the stability of a biological community?
Biodiversity contributes to the stability of a biological community.
How does the earth's atmosphere relate to living organisms?
The earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere was originally produced by living organisms.
Why is it important to conserve the gene pool and explore the use of different plants?
Conserving the gene pool and exploring different plants is desirable due to shifts in the global environment and the need to maintain biodiversity.
What is the significance of developing modern medicines from biological compounds found in plants?
A considerable fraction of modern medicines has been developed from biological compounds found in plants.
What is the fundamental reason for knowing the total number and distribution of species on the planet?
Developing a rational program to conserve biological diversity.
What is the ethical imperative emphasized by the British government?
The ethical imperative of stewardship which must underlie all environmental policies.
Why is the visitor's question about the number and variety of living organisms particularly distressing?
Due to the rapid rate at which wild habitats are being destroyed.
What is the moral duty emphasized by the British government according to the text?
To look after the planet and hand it on in good order to future generations.
What is the ratio of tropical species to temperate and boreal species for well-studied groups like birds and mammals?
about twice as common
What percentage of all named insect species live outside the tropics?
approximately two thirds
According to the author, what unfamiliar appearance does the total biodiversity take on when organisms are ranked according to their contribution to the number of species in different groups?
an unfamiliar appearance
What does the author suggest is the contribution of insects to the total biodiversity, in terms of the number of species?
more than one 44 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN October 1992 © 1992 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC This content downloaded from 199.212.64.233 on Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:45:53 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms.the 1.5 to 1.8 million recorded species 000 times 20,000, divided by 67) insect cannot be applied.Instead Erwin used to from three to five million.species.
Test your knowledge on the relationship between diversity and stability of a biological community, including topics such as predicting changes in the earth's climate and the impact on the earth's atmosphere. This quiz also covers reasons for counting and cataloguing species, including their contribution to the development of modern medicines.
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