Science

Quarter 1 – Biodiversity:
Index of Diversity and Measuring
Population Density
Science– Grade 9
Quarter 1 – Module 9: Biodiversity: Index of Diversity and Measuring
Population Density

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Novy A. Deladia

Editor: Benjie L. Cadag

Reviewer: Emily Esmabe

Illustrator

Layout Artist:
Relate species extinction to the failure
of populations of organisms to adapt
to abrupt changes in the environment.
 Biodiversity: Index of Diversity and
Measuring Population Density

In any ecosystem, organisms need a balanced environment. A balanced

ecosystem is one where all living and nonliving things are interacting harmoniously
with one another. If any part of the ecosystem is disturbed, other parts will also be
affected.

What happens to a community when its

species diversity is reduced? Does loss of
biodiversity affect an ecosystem’s ability to sustain
the species that remain or to perform certain
functions that may contribute to the needs of that
ecosystem?
In this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain index of diversity and population

density
2. Differentiate high from low index of diversity
3. Measure species distribution in a community
4. Determine the pattern of population
distribution
5. Analyze how population density can be used
to learn the needs and characteristics of a
certain population
6. Appreciate the importance of a balanced
environment in the survival of the organisms
 TRUE or FALSE
Analyze the statements below. Write true if
the statement is correct and false if the
statement is incorrect.

A B C

D E

________ 1. Ecosystem A has high index of diversity.

________ 2. Ecosystem B shows a uniform pattern of species distribution.
________ 3. Ecosystem C shows a random pattern of species distribution.
________ 4. Ecosystem D has low index of diversity.
________ 5. Ecosystem E shows a clumped pattern of species distribution.

Hi! How did you find the test?

Please check your answers at the answer key section
and see how you did. Don’t worry if you got a low
score, this just means that there are more things that
you can learn from this module. So, hop on!
 Activity 1
Index of Diversity

Materials

Procedure
1. This is an outdoor activity. Go to an area shown in the example below.

A B

2. Record the number of different species of trees present in the area. (It is not
necessary to know their names, just make sure that they differ by species.)
Record this number in the data table.
3. Make a list of the trees by assigning each a number as you walk by it. Count
the total number of trees in the area. Record this number in the data table.
4. Write X on tree number 1 in your list. If tree number 2 is the same species as
tree number 1, mark it another X. continue to mark an X under the trees as long
as the species is the same as the previous one. When a different species is
observed, mark an O under the tree on your list. If the next tree is different mark
it X.
5. Record in your table the number of “runs”.
Hint: Runs are represented by a group of similar symbols in a row
Example: XXXXOOXO – 4 runs
XXXX – 1 run
OO – 1 run
XO – 2 runs
 6. Calculate the index of diversity using the given formula.

𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒙 𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒔

𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 =
𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔

7. Do the same for ecosystem B. Record the data in the table.

Table 1

Ecosystem A Ecosystem B

Number of Species

Number of Runs

Number of Plants

Index of Diversity

Guide Questions:
1. Which ecosystem has the higher number of species? Lower number of
species?
______________________________________________________________

2. Which ecosystem has the higher number of runs? Lower number of runs?
______________________________________________________________

3. Which ecosystem has the higher index of diversity? Lower index of diversity?
______________________________________________________________

4. What can you infer from the relationship between the number of species and
runs with the index of diversity?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
 Good job in finishing Activity 1! Now, take time to
process the information you acquired by
accomplishing the next task.

A. Direction: Identify if the following ecosystems show a high or low index of

diversity. Copy the shape and color that corresponds to your chosen answer.

Legend: HIGH INDEX OF DIVERSITY

LOW INDEX OF DIVERSITY

1._____ 2._____ 3. ______

4. ______ 5. ______

B. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference between an ecosystem that has a high index of
diversity and an ecosystem that has a low index of diversity?
________________________________________________________

2. Compare how index of diversity is different in a vacant lot from a grass

lawn. Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________

3. If humans are concerned about biological diversity, which would be

best to have a low or high index of diversity for a particular
environment?
________________________________________________________
 Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth.
It is typically a measure of variation at the genetic,
species, and ecosystem level. Communities with many
different species (a high index of diversity) will be able to
withstand environmental changes better than
communities with only a few species (low index of diversity).
A community dominated by one or two species is considered to be less diverse
than one in which several different species have a similar abundance. As species
richness and evenness increase, so diversity increases. A community dominated by
several species is considered to be more diverse.

Activity 2
Measuring Population Density

Materials

Procedure
1. Study the three patterns of population
distribution at the right.
2. Count the number of each population.
Record the number in the table.
3. Using the given formula for computing
population density, calculate the
density of each population.
(area = 18cmx20cm)

𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔
𝑷𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 =
𝑺𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂

Table 2. Population Density

Population Name Number of Organisms Population Density
Bermuda grass
Clover
Lilies
Guide questions:

1. Compare the distribution patterns of the three populations. Which one is

distributed randomly? Clumped?
_____________________________________________________________
2. Which population has the highest density? Lowest density?
_____________________________________________________________

3. What could be the possible causes for the difference in the population
density?
_____________________________________________________________
4. Can population density affects the needs and characteristics of population?
______________________________________________________________

Good job in finishing Activity 2! Now, take time to

process the information you acquired by
accomplishing the next task.

A. Direction: Complete table 3. Identify what is described or asked and indicate

your answer/s by putting a on it.

A B C

D E
 Table 3

Ecosystems A B C D E

1. Uniform or nearly uniform

distribution pattern of population

2. Clumped distribution pattern of

population
3. Random distribution pattern of
population
4. High carrying capacity
5. Low carrying capacity

A population is the number of organisms of the same

species that live in a particular geographic area at the
same time, with the capability of interbreeding. It can
be of the same size, but they may have different
densities.
Population density just represents the average number of individuals per
unit of area or volume. Often, individuals in a population are not spread out evenly.
Population distribution describes how the individuals are distributed, or spread
throughout their habitat.
Most populations are
not stable, fluctuating in size
over time. They change with the
number of births and when they
move into an ecosystem. They
also change when members die
or move out of the ecosystem. The fluctuations are usually in response to changes in
the abiotic and biotic factors, which act as limiting factors against indefinite exponential
growth of populations. Limiting factors are environmental conditions that keep a
population from increasing in size and help balance ecosystem. For example, when
food resources are plentiful and environmental conditions are favorable, populations
may grow. Conversely, when predation is strong, populations may become depleted.
The carrying capacity is a measure of how many individuals can a given
ecosystem provide for. An individual and its population is dependent on various
components of its ecosystem for necessities such as food, habitat, etc. If the
population size rises above the carrying capacity, organisms die because not all their
needs can be met. An ecosystem can only successfully support a given population.
The carrying capacity is affected by the changes in the environment.
Direction: Analyze the map and identify what is being described or asked in the
questions.

Frogs Fish Water Lilly

1. Which species has the largest population in the community?

______________________________________________________________

2. What pattern of distribution is shown by the frogs?

______________________________________________________________

3. What pattern of distribution is shown by the fishes?

______________________________________________________________

4. What pattern of distribution is shown by the water lilies?

______________________________________________________________

5. If the size of the area is 10mx10m, which population has the highest density?
______________________________________________________________
 Congratulations on finishing the supplementary
learning module! You have just had an amazing learning
journey and for sure, you will have the same in the
succeeding modules.
This time, share to the class your final insights
by completing the following sentence prompts.
,
 To strengthen what you have learned in this
module, watch the following video

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSUfsWzWbeg
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ua_zWDH6U
3. https://nature.ca/education/_doc/biodiversite-fiche_eleve_e.pdf
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxtZ7Afn63s
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JePixuWr2n0

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, including
terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes
of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species,
and of ecosystems.
Carrying capacity is the maximum population size of a biological species that can be
sustained in that specific environment, given the food, habitat, water, and other
resources available.
Index of diversity is a measure that reflects how many different species there are in
a community.
Limiting factors are environmental conditions that keep a population from increasing
in size and help balance ecosystems.
Population refers to the number of organisms of the same species living in a certain
place.
Population density is a measure of the number of organisms that make up a
population in a defined area.
Population distribution describes how the individuals are distributed, or spread
throughout their habitat.
Direction: Analyze the following statements below.
A. Both statements are correct
B. First statement is correct, second statement is incorrect
C. First statement is incorrect, second statement is correct
D. Both statements are incorrect

1. A community dominated by one or two species is considered to be less diverse.

A community dominated by several species is considered to be more diverse.
_______________________________________________________________

2. Communities with many different species has a low index of diversity.

Communities with only a few species has a high index of diversity.
_______________________________________________________________

3. Population density represents the average number of individuals per unit of area
or volume.
Population size describes how the individuals are distributed, or spread
throughout their habitat.
_______________________________________________________________

4. Availability of food, water and living conditions keep a population in increasing in

size and in balancing the ecosystem.
Organisms may die if the population size rises above the carrying capacity of an
ecosystem.
_______________________________________________________________

5. Organisms do not need a balanced environment.

Living things create role and position for other living things.
_______________________________________________________________
A. TRY THIS
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True

B. DO THIS (Activity 1)
1. Answers may vary
2. Answers may vary
3. Answers may vary
4. The greater the number of species the greater the runs for index of
diversity

C. EXPLORE
1. Low
2. High
3. Low
4. Low
5. High
Guide questions:
1. An ecosystem with high index of diversity is more diverse while an
ecosystem with low index of diversity is less diverse.
2. Vacant lot has a lower index of diversity while a grass lawn has higher
index of diversity
3. High index of diversity

D. DO THIS (Activity 2)

Population Name Number of Organisms Population Density

Bermuda grass 57 0.16
Clover 15 0.04
Lilies 21 0.06

Guide questions
1. Random distributed – Bermuda
Clumped distribution – Clover and Lilies
2. Bermuda has high density
Clover and lilies has low density
3. Limiting factors
4. Yes
E. EXPLORE

Ecosystems A B C D E

1. Uniform or nearly uniform

X
distribution pattern of population

2. Clumped distribution pattern of

X
population
3. Random distribution pattern of
X
population
4. High carrying capacity X
5. Low carrying capacity X

F. APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1. Water lilies
2. Random
3. Clumped
4. Uniform
5. Water lilies

G. ASSESS WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1. A
2. D
3. B
4. A
5. C

1. Science Learners’ Module

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSUfsWzWbeg
3. https://videohive.net/item/rice-field-1/10409826
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ua_zWDH6U
5. https://nature.ca/education/_doc/biodiversite-fiche_eleve_e.pdf
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxtZ7Afn63s
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JePixuWr2n0
8. https://marine-conservation.org/what-we-do/advocate
9. https://www.featurepics.com/online/Backyard-Trees-783628.aspx