BIODIVERSITY Cambridge A2-Level Biology

9700
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES
1. Biodiversity: the variety of ecosystems and species in an area and the genetic diversity
within each species.
2. Endemic: A species that is only found in a certain area and no where else.
3. Ecosystem: A relatively self-contained, interacting community of organisms and the
environment in which they live and with which they interact. Ecosystem is made up of
biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) parts.
4. Community: A collection of different species that are found in a particular ecosystem at
a particular time.
5. Habitat: A place where an organism or a population or a community lives.
6. Niche: the role of an organism in an ecosystem. For example, how an organism interacts
with the physical environment and how an organism obtains its energy.
SPECIES DIVERSITY
The number of species in a community is called species richness.
Species diversity not only takes species richness into account but also it includes a
measure of how evenly different species are spread.
The more the species there are and the more evenly the number of organisms is
distributed among different species, the greater the species diversity.
The greater the species diversity, the more stable the ecosystem is because they are
more resilient towards changes in environmental factors.
GENETIC DIVERSITY
Genetic diversity is the differences in the alleles in all the genes in the genome of the
species.
Genetic diversity can be assessed by finding out what proportions of genes have
different alleles.
Genetic diversity exists because different organisms adapt to different selection
pressures differently.
Examples of selection pressures include competition with species, resisting a new
disease and weather changes.
COLLECTING ORGANISMS
AND MAKING SPECIES LIST
1. The first task in assessing species diversity is to identify and catalogue the tyes of
organisms present and build a species list.
2. Use identification keys to name the organisms. Biologists can use 3 possible
identification keys i.e. images/ photographs, asking a series of questions or using
dichotomous keys.
3. Some animals e.g. tiny insects are difficult to find and collect. Pooter is a device
which is used to collect such animals. It involved a person breathing air into the
mouth, sucking the insect into the container. The insect can be studied and
identified using a hard lens, and then returned to their habitat.
4. It is impractical and difficult to catalogue everything, therefore biologists prefer to
concentrate on one or two groups e.g. flowering plants and insects in a rainforest.
INTRODUCTION TO SAMPLING
When assessing species diversity, an ideal way would be to find, identify and count
every organism that lives in an ecosystem. But that would be extremely time-
consuming and exhausting.
Therefore, biologists employ a technique called sampling and use samples to make
an estimate of the total number of species and total number of organisms within each
species in the area.
There are two types of sampling:
1. Random sampling using a quadrat
2. Systematic sampling using a transect
RANDOM SAMPLING USING A
QUADRAT
1. A quadrat is a wooden or a plastic square.
2. To use a quadrat, we place it on ground and count the number of organisms inside it.
3. Used for plants and slow moving animals.
4. Samples must be taken randomly to avoid any bias.
5. To do this, we mark out an area using measuring tapes. Then, using a random number
generator, we get the coordinates of the sampling points in relation to the two tapes we used
to mark out the area.
6. Quadrat should be placed in different areas for a large number of times to gain more valid
results.
7. A higher number of samples ensure that the sample is more representative of the whole area.
QUADRATS CONTINUED
The results of random sampling using quadrats can be used in two ways.
1. Species frequency: The chance of finding a particular species in any one quadrat.
This is calculated by dividing the number of times a particular species appeared by
the number of times the quadrat was placed.
2. Species density: A measure of how many individuals there are per unit area.
This is calculated by dividing the total number of individuals counted by the total
area of all the quadrats.
SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING
USING TRANSECTS
If you are surveying an area where physical conditions e.g. altitude, soil, moisture
content, soil type, soil pH, exposure or light intensity is changing, you should use
systematic sampling using transects.
1. Select at random a starting point
2. Lay out a measuring tape in a straight line
3. Sample the organisms that are present along the line, which is called a transect.
4. Line transect: At regular distances, identify and record the organisms found along
the line.
5. Belt transect: At regular distances, place a quadrat along the line and count and
record the number of organisms within the quadrat.
MARK-RELEASE RECAPTURE:
LINCOLN’S INDEX
1. The population size of mobile animals is estimated using a technique called mark-release-recapture based on
Lincoln Index.
2. An initial sample of population is captured and the number of organisms in this sample is recorded.
3. All the organisms are marked and are released into the wild.
4. The marked organisms are released and are given sufficient time to be randomly dispersed throughout their
habitat.
5. After some time, a second sample of population is captured and the number of individuals in the second sample
is also recorded.
6. The number of marked organisms in the second sample is counted and recorded.
7. The total size of the population is estimated based on the principle that the proportion of marked organisms in
the second sample is equal to the proportion of the marked organisms in the whole population as well.
8. Ethical considerations include that organisms should be captured and marked in a way that doesn’t cause them
permanent harm or affect their future chances of survival. The mark must not be toxic, or should not increase
their chances of predation or decrease their chances of reproduction.
LINCOLN INDEX EQUATION
SIMPSON’S INDEX OF
DIVERSITY
Simpson’s index of diversity is used to calculate the biodiversity of a habitat.
Values of D can range from 0-1.
A value near 0 represents a very low species diversity.
A value near 1 represents a very high species diversity.
CORRELATION AND SCATTER
GRAPHS
Biologists study the relationship between two species or between a species and a
named abiotic factor.
This association can be studied by plotting scatter graphs which can be analyzed to
deduce the correlation, if any, between the two variables.
SPEARMAN’S RANK
CORRELATION
1. A statistical test used to determine if there is a correlation between two variables
when one or both of them are not normally distributed.
2. Step 1: Make a null hypothesis i.e. there is no correlation between the two
variables.
3. Step 2 : Draw a scatter graph
4. Step 3 : Analyze the scatter graph to deduce whether there is a correlation and if
there is, is it positive or negative.
5. Calculate the correlation coefficient using the spearman’s rank correlation
equation:
PEARSON’S LINEAR
CORRELATION
1. Pearson’s linear correlation is a statistical test which is used to determine if there is a
linear correlation between two continuous variables which are normally distributed.
2. The first step is to plot a scatter graph and deduce if there is a hint of a linear
correlation between the two variables.
3. Only then, the pearson’s linear correlation test can be used to describe the strength
and direction of the correlation.
4. The coefficient can range between +1 and -1; a positive value indicates a positive
linear correlation whereas a negative value indicates a negative linear correlation.
5. The closer to +1 or -1= the greater is the strength of positive and negative linear
correlation respectively.
PEARSON’S EQUATION AND
STANDARD DEVIATION