Chapter-15 Biodiversity and Conservation

The relation between species richness and area for a wide variety of
taxa turns out to be a rectangular hyperbola. Give a brief explanation.

Explain briefly the ‘rivet popper hypothesis’ of Paul Ehrlich.

Species diversity decreases as we move away from the equator towards
the poles. What could be the possible reasons?

Describe the consumptive use value of biodiversity as food, drugs and
medicines, fuel and fiber with suitable examples.

What is an ecosystem service? List any four important ecosystem services
provided by the natural ecosystems. Are you in favour or against levying
a charge on the service provided by the ecosystem?

Though the conflict between humans and wildlife started with the
evolution of man, the intensity of conflict has increased due to the
activities of modern man. Justify your answer with suitable examples.

Can you think of a scientific explanation, besides analogy used by Paul
Ehrlich, for the direct relationship between diversity and stability of an
ecosystem?

How can you, as an individual, prevent the loss of biodiversity?

Elaborate how invasion by an alien species reduces the species diversity
of an area.

What is co-extinction? Explain with a suitable example?

Is it true that there is more solar energy available in the tropics? Explain
briefly.

Suggest a place where one can go to study coral reefs, mangrove
vegetation and estuaries.

What are sacred groves and their role in biodiversity conservation?

What is an endangered species? Give an example of an endangered plant
and animal species each?

List any two major causes other than anthropogenic causes of the loss
of biodiversity.

Humans benefit from diversity of life. Give two examples.

How do scientists extrapolate the total number of species on Earth?

What could be the possible explanation for greater vulnerability of
amphibians to extinction as compared to other animal groups?

What criteria should one use in categorizing a species as threatened?

Why are the conventional methods not suitable for the assessment of
biodiversity of bacteria?

There is greater biodiversity in tropical /subtropical regions than in
temperate region. Explain.

Is it possible that productivity and diversity of a natural community
remain constant over a time period of, say one hundred years?

A species-area curve is drawn by plotting the number of species against
the area. How is it that when a very large area is considered the slope is
steeper than that for smaller areas?

Discuss one example, based on your day-to-day observations, showing
how loss of one species may lead to the extinction of another.

Of the four major causes for the loss of biodiversity (Alien species invasion,
habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation and co-extinctions
which according to you is the major cause for the loss of biodiversity?
Give reasons in support.

How is the presently occurring species extinction different from the earlier
mass extinctions?

How is the presently

Define the terms (i) Bioprospecting (ii) Endemism

What is the expanded form of IUCN?

What does the term ‘Frugivorous’ mean?

Define gene pool.

What is Red Data Book?

Why is genetic variation important in the plant Rauwolfia vomitoria?

How does species diversity differ from ecological diversity?

What is the difference between endemic and exotic species?

Explain as to how protection of biodiversity hot spots alone can reduce
up to 30% of the current rate of species extinction.

What does 'Red' indicate in the IUCN Red list (2004)?

According to David Tilman, greater the diversity, greater is the primary
productivity. Can you think of a very low diversity man-made ecosystem
that has high productivity?

What accounts for the greater ecological diversity of India?

What could have triggered mass extinctions of species in the past?

What characteristics make a community stable?

Describe at least two approaches each for ex-situ conservation and in situ conservation as a strategy for biodiversity conservation

Why is the sobriquet ‘The Evil Quartet’ used in context of biodiversity?

Name the members of this quartet. Why do we grieve for the genes when a species is lost?

What is so special about tropics that might account for their greater biological diversity?

Hot spots are the regions of exceptionally high biodiversity. But they have become regions of accidental habitat loss too. Name the three hot spots of our country. Why are they called ‘Hot spot’?

.    Explain co-extinction with a suitable example.

How many species of plants and animals have been described by IUCN

in 2004? What is global species diversity according to Robert May?

What is the reason for genetic variation shown by medicinal plant Rauwolfia vomitoria?

    Define cryopreservation. Why is it useful in conserving biodiversity?

Ecologists have discovered that value of ¡¥Z¡¦ lies in range of 0.1 to 0.2 regardless of taxonomic group or region. When will the slope of line steeper in species area relationship?

Which region is considered as the one with highest biodiversity on earth?

What is the name given to such region.forests?

What trend is observed in respect of species diversity when we move from equator to poles?

Habitat loss and fragmentation has caused severe damage to a particular type of ecosystem. Name it

List the important attributes of a stable community?

What is Biodiversity? Why has it become important recently?

Which type of conservation measures – in situ or ex-situ will help the larger
number of species to survive? Explain.

Name the national park for Rhinoceros & lion in India respectively?

What do you mean by “vulnerable species”?

Name any two conventional methods of ex-situ conservation?

Write the scientific name of the plant that yields reserpine?

What are the different approaches for biodiversity conservation in India?

What is the relation between species richness & area? What is the
significance of slope of regression?

Why is it necessary to conserve biodiversity?

What do you mean by IPR. What are the drawbacks of IPR.

What are sacred grooves? What is their role in conservation?

What do you mean lay species diversity? Name two measures of species
diversity?

Sometimes introduction of an exotic species upsets native species of the
ecosystem. Substantiate the statement with the help of an example?

What is cryopreservation?

Expand : i) – WWF
ii) - IBWL

Name two most biodiversity rich zones of India?

Mention the major causes for loss of biodiversity?

What do you mean by latitudinal gradient? What could be the possible
reasons for diversity between tropic & temperate region?

What do you mean by biodiversity? What are the different types of
Biodiversity?

“Amazonian rain forest in south America has the greatest bio-diversity on
earth”. Justify the statement.

What is the difference between in-situ & ex-situ conservation?

“Species diversity of plants is much less than that of animals” Why?

What is IUCN red list? Give any two uses of this list?

Name any two threatened animal species of India?

What are hot spots?

Expand i) IUCN -
ii) MAB –

Can you think of a situation where we deliberately want to make a species extinct? How would you justify it?

The species diversity of plants (22 per cent) is much less than that of animals (72 per cent). What could be the explanations to how animals achieved greater diversification?

Among the ecosystem services are control of floods and soil erosion.

How is this achieved by the biotic components of the ecosystem?

What are sacred groves? What is their role in conservation?

How is biodiversity important for ecosystem functioning?

What are the major causes of species losses in a geographical region?

What is the significance of the slope of regression in a species - area relationship?

Give three hypotheses for explaining why tropics show greatest levels of species richness.

How do ecologists estimate the total number of species present in the world?

Name the three important components of biodiversity.