Ans .

1 i) Genetic Diversity

ii) Species Diversity

iii) Ecological Diversity .

Ans .2 Due to large number of species yet to be discovered in the tropics,

biologists carry out a statistical comparision of temperate tropical species
richness of thoroughly studied groups of insects and extrapolate this ratio to
remaining groups of plants and animals .This gives of estimate of total no of
species on earth .This number may range in between 20 to 50 million
.However, according to Robert May, for this more better scientific studies
,global studies diversity is about 7 million.

Ans .3 i) Undisturbance in tropics : Speciation is usually a function of

time,unlike temperate areas subjected to frequent glaciations in the past.This
type of disturbance has not occurred or remain relatively undisturbed in
tropical latitudes for millions of years .Tropical regions ,thus got a long
evolutionary time for species diversification.

ii) Constancy in season: In tropical regions environment is more constant ,less

seasonal and predictable. This is not so in temperate regions. Due to this
constancy and stability, niche specialisation takes place at a faster rate and
leads to species richness.

iii) More solar energy: Due to more availability of solar energy in tropics
,productivity is higher.This contributes to greater species diversity , indirectly.

Ans .4 Alexander Von Humdolt while working on wilderness of South

American jungles found that at specific places species increased with
increasing explored area. But at such places ,this increase in species was only
upto a certain limit.. A rectangular hyperbola is obtained for relation between
species richness and region. This happens for a wide range of taxa like
birds,freshwater fishes and angiosperms.
Relationship is of straight line on logarithmic scale eg; log S = log C +Z log A

In any type of taxonomic group or region value of Z comes in between 0.1 to

0.2.This value is similar e.g. for plants in UK , birds in California and molluscs in
New York . However if large continents are taken into account for this type of
studies ,value of Z differs eg; it comes in between 0.6 to 1.2 . Even the slope of
line is much steeper. When the Z value is studied , it comes equal to 1.15 for
frugivorous birds and mammals of tropical forests of different continents .

(Draw the graph from your textbook along with this answer )

Ans .5. no need to do i have given the slide causes of losses of biodiversity to
copy )

Ans 6. All the living organisms are so closely interlinked that destruction of one
kind of wildlife of on the earth may upset the ecological balance in nature eg;
destruction of snake will lead to increase in the population of rat which will
destroy the crops. Similarly killing of carnivores will increase the population of
herbivores which will damage the vegetation and disturnb the ecological
balance . Species of plants and animals keep a check on their numbers through
foodchains , so wildlife helps to preserve the environment as a self sustaining
system . Thus ecosystems ofer and provide services like soil fertility , plant
pollinators ,predators ,decomposers ,purification of air,and water
management of flood and drought and other environmental disasters .

The others role of the ecosystem of biodiversity are :

It has the scientific importance

It provides drugs and medicines

It gives the industrial services

Aesthetic and cultural importance

Sports and Enjoymnet like hunting and thrilling experiences

Ans 7. ( Already given in the slide the sacred grooves no need to write )
Ans .8 Earth’s rich biodiversity is vital for indirect benefits like control of
floods and soil erosion. Species richness checks soil erosion by binding the soil
particles thereby reducing the rate of water velocity , hence reducing the
chances of floods.

Ans .9 Animals bear nervous system for control and coordination of activities .
They also bear receptors to respond to environment stimuli.Many responses
become adaptive for survival . Thus animal bears higher species diversity than
plants.

Ans 10. This situation may appear when alien species is introduced
unintentionally or deliberately in an area . Some of them may become invasive
and cause damage to indigenous species.

For example : Nile pearch introduced into lake Victoria In East Africa led to
extinction of 200 species of cichid fish in the lake . Introduction of catfish
Clarias gariepinus for aquaculture is threatning the indigenous catfishes in
rivers of India.