Understanding Biodiversity: Genetic, Species, Habitat Diversity

Unit 2 –Biodiversity

Introduction ofBiodiversity • Biodiversity- ecosystem, species, genetic • Genetic diversity- measure ofgenetic variation among individuals in a population. • High genetic diversity = better ableto respond tochange • Species diversity- number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat. • High = More productive &resilient • Ex: number of plants species inunderstory • Habitat diversity-range • of habitats present in aregion

How manyspecies? • Species: a group that is distinct from other groups in terms of size, behavior, orbiochemical properties and can interbreed to produce viable offspring. • The number of species in a given area isthe most common measure of biodiversity (the quantity and variety within anecosystem). • Scientists have named about 2 millionspecies and approximate there are 5-100 million on Earth. The accepted estimate is set at 10 million.

Biodiversity • Variety of life onEarth

Three Scales ofBiodiversity • 1. Genetic Diversity- genetic variation among individuals ina population • Example: bloodtype

The more genetically diverse a population is the better itcan respond to environmentalstressors • Examples ofStressors • Physical Stress (naturaldisasters) • Ex: tornadoes orflooding • Wildfires • AirQuality • Thermalstress • Radiation • Climatic (light,temperature) • Biological (predation, competition,parasitism, lack ofmates) • Noise

Three Scales ofBiodiversity • 2. Species Diversity- number of species in a region or habitat (ina community orecosystem) • Whoremembersfrombiology:Whatisaspecies? • Can interbreedand produce viableoffspring • WhatisthemostcommonspeciesonEarth? • Nematodes are the most numerically abundant animals onEarth

Most commonorganism: the bacterium Pelagibacterubique • 1/3rd of allsingle-celled • ocean organisms

This about this example: Ligers (offspring between a male lion and a tigress) are usually larger than their parents, so the breeding naturally puts the mother tigresses at great risk in carrying the young, and may require C-section deliveries that can kill the tigresses. Additionally, not all ligers can be healthy, for they can develop neurological disorders. Ligers are notfertile!! • So how do you get anotherliger?

Three Scales ofBiodiversity • 3. Habitat/Ecosystem Diversity- variety of habitats that exist within a givenregion

Organismal ecology: habitat • Habitat = the environment in which an organism lives • Includes living and nonliving elements • Scale-dependent: from square meters to miles • Availability and quality of habitat are crucial to an organism’s well-being • Niche = an organism’s use of resources and its functional role in a community • Habitat use, food selection, role in energy and nutrient flow • Interactions with other individuals • Specialists = species with narrow niches and very specific requirements • Extremely good at what they do, but vulnerable to change • Generalists = species with broad niches that can use a wide array of habitats and resources • Able to live in many different places

Species richness- number of species in a givenarea. • Species evenness- measure of whether a particular ecosystem is numerically dominated by one species or are all represented by similar numbers ofindividuals. • Species Dominance- most abundantspecies Community 1has Goodevenness Both have samerichness p.151

Lower values indicate morediversity. Higher values indicate lessdiversity.

TextbookPractice p.152 Get into your group or witha buddy and workitout You CAN do it!!!

With your buddy orgroup….. • Fill out thetable • n(n-1) • Species richness: what#? • Evenness: high orlow? • Dominance: high orlow? ? ? ?

Nowthatyouhavethenumbers….Dothemath https://studylib.net/doc/7712266/ap-simpson-diversity-index-lab-11-12

Understanding Biodiversity: Genetic, Species, Habitat Diversity