Biodiversity, Or Biological Diversity - 1609 Words

Introduction: Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is a term first coined in 1985 by Walter G. Rosen concerning the number of species in a particular habitat and revolved around the idea that diversity cannot solely be understood through numbers (Maclaurin and Sterelny, 2012). However, before 1985 biodiversity was related to concepts of â€Å"genetic diversity and ecological diversity†. This allowed to further define ecological diversity with species richness as â€Å"the number of species in a community of organism†. Biodiversity is more than just the amount of species in an area but rather better measured by taxic measures, molecular measures, and phylogenetic measures (Harper and Hawksworth, 1994). Today, zoologists have estimated that†¦show more content†¦Our method of capture was the pitfall trap (digging a hole in the ground and placing a cup) that was filled with isopropyl alcohol. The independent variables for this experiment included location (habita t 1 vs habitat 2) and sun vs shade. The way biodiversity was measured through the arthropod collection project by primarily using statistics including the sum of individual specimens, the sum of taxa, and evenness. The sum of individual specimens allows for the depiction of abundance. The sum of taxa is better known through richness or more specifically how common a certain arthropod is. Lastly, using the Burger- Parker index, evenness is the â€Å"lack of dominance† which is known as â€Å"1/Pm† (UNO Department of Biological Sciences,1999). Methods: This experiment was conducted in New Orleans and Kenner, Louisiana which are located in Orleans and Jefferson Parish, however, Kenner is more suburban rather than city. Conducting this experiment required setting out eight pitfall traps (four in each habitat) which were labelled cups one through eight. This experiment was conducted over the time frame of three weeks in order to collect approximately 100-200 arthropods. Every day for three weeks, cups (pitfall traps) were placed in two different habitats (Kenner and New Orleans) and put out every morning and picked up every night. The shadeShow MoreRelatedBiodiversity, Or Biological Diversity1720 Words   |  7 PagesBiodiversity, or biological diversity, is a technical term that captures diversity of the whole living world, from genes to individual species, through plant and animal communities and entire biomes (Defra, 2010). In other words, biodiversity represents genes, species, and ecosystems, which are the structural elements th at are nestled within each other, and their ecological functions, in an area (Cepel, 1997; Ozcelik, 2006). Biodiversity provides the building blocks for our ecosystems to functionRead MoreEssay about The Importance of Biodiversity1310 Words   |  6 PagesWhat exactly is Biodiversity? Biodiversity is generally defined as â€Å"the existence of many different kinds of plants and animals in an environment.† (Merriam Webster Dictionary, n.d.) However, there is no single definition for biodiversity. One definition for biological diversity is â€Å"a diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment† (Biological Diversity, n.d.). Biodiversity can also be defined as â€Å"the number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region†Read MoreThe Impact of Humans on the Biological Diversity of Natural Ecosystems1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe Impact of Humans on the Biological Diversity of Natural Ecosystems Introduction Since humans have come into existence they have always been a cause of change of whatever natural areas they inhabit along with the living organisms of those natural areas. The different types of organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms that inhabit these areas are known as biological diversity or biodiversity. (USEPA 2010 ) Biological diversity can be affected by many different things, climate changeRead MoreDiversity Is The Essence Of The Word Unique1099 Words   |  5 PagesDiversity is the essence of the word unique. Diversity allows humans to acquire knowledge from fresh experiences, broadening the tendency to be narrow-minded. Diversity makes its prominent presence known in the work place, social groups/communities, and, of course, our home, Penn State. Finally, diversity brings innovation, allowing the world to progress in various aspects; however, without the division of paramount of diversity, referred to as biological diversity, life as the world knows it wou ldRead MoreImpact Of Biodiversity On The Environment1267 Words   |  6 PagesBackground Vast biodiversity is the key feature that makes Earth unique in comparison to other planets. Not only are there 7 billion people inhabiting the Earth, so are 9 million different types of plants, animals, protists and fungi. It was recognized in the 1980’s that species were being lost at rapid rates from ecosystems. It is known that all organisms play important roles within their ecosystems being that organisms interact with their ecosystem through feedback mechanisms (Cardinale, B. JRead MoreIntroduction Knowledge has always been transferred from older generation to younger generations700 Words   |  3 Pagesimmemorial, and in this regard biodiversity is no exception. The knowledge of the hunters and gatherer societies, cultivators, and fishers to mention a few, have developed knowledge specific to their field of operation. There have been sources laying down the importance of the traditional knowledge, as pre-scientific traditional systems of management have been the main means by which the traditional societies have managed natural resources for millennia . Thus biodiversity conservation holds primaryRead MoreEconomics to Biodiversity989 Words   |  4 Pagesi. Biodiversity First Even if many conservation organisations and many others have been engaged in the environmental protection, yet there is a divide about how people look at it and are ready to get engaged in such activities. Environmental education should -create awareness, -transmit information, -teach knowledge, -develop habits and skills, -promote values, and provide criteria and standards and present guidelines for problem solving and decision-making. This needs classroom as well fieldRead MoreBiodiversity626 Words   |  3 PagesBiodiversity a.Biodiversity- is the degree of variation of life. It is a measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystems. This can refer to genetic variation, ecosystem variation, or species variation (number of species) within an area, biome, or planet. Terrestrial biodiversity tends to be highest near the equator, which seems to be the result of the warm climate and high primary productivity. Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on Earth. It is the richest in the tropicsRead MoreMarine Biodiversity : A Global Pattern Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesMarine biodiversity Definition: Marine biodiversity refers to the species richness and abundance of genes, species and habitats in the world s oceans and seas. And since the world is covered with approximately 70% water the amount of life in the oceans is enormous. According to the definition of the Convention on Biological Diversity, biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecologicalRead MoreThe Potential Factors Affecting The Environment1107 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION Biodiversity term used for the variety and variability between all types of living organisms such as microorganisms, plants and animals available in a particular area covered by natural conditions. The term biological diversity first coined by Norse and Mc Mangus in 1980 (Rawat and Khare, 2010). According to the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (1987), biological diversity is the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. Biological diversity