Unit 2 Living World: Biodiversity
Reading Guide
Directions: Answer EVERY question on a separate sheet of paper OR make a copy of this
document, add spaces, and print out. Either way, you must HAND WRITE your answers and
turn in a hard copy to the blue basket on test day.
Introduction to Biodiversity
1. What are the 4 scales in which biodiversity exists (that we’ve identified in APES)?
2. Explain how a loss in biodiversity on each scale can lead to a negative outcome.
a. Loss in genetic diversity:
b. Loss in species diversity:
c. Loss in habitat diversity:
d. Loss in ecosystem diversity:
3. Identify and define the two ways in which we can calculate biodiversity.
Ecosystem Services
4. What is an ecosystem service?
5. Complete the table below discussing ecosystem services:
Type Definition Example
6. Describe two ways in which human activities can disrupt ecosystem services and
identify the economic cost associated with the disruption.
Island Biogeography
7. Which will have a larger number of species, islands close to the mainland or an island
further away? Why?
8. Which will have a greater number of species, a larger island or a smaller island the same
distance away from the mainland? Why?
9. Draw an example of a species-area curve. Make sure to label the axis correctly.
10. Draw the model of island biogeography, including the rate of colonization, the rate of
extinction, and identify the “number of species” on the island by drawing a line down to
the x-axis. Label all 3 axis appropriately.
Ecological Tolerance
11. Define the following terms:
a. Niche:
b. Fundamental niche:
c. Realized niche:
d. Ecological Tolerance:
12. What causes a species niche to change or move over time?
13. What causes a species to go extinct?
Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems
14. Name two anthropogenic disturbances and two natural disturbances.
15. Describe and give an example of the three different types of disruptions, periodic,
episodic, and random.
16. Compare and contrast ecosystem resilience and ecosystem resistance.
17. Discuss why an ecosystem with high biodiversity would be more likely to be resilient.
18. What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?
Adaptations
19. Describe evolution.
20. What is a mutation? Can it be good or bad or both?
21. Describe artificial selection and give an example.
22. Describe natural selection and give an example.
23. Describe two ways in which evolution can occur through random processes.
24. Define allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation.
Ecological Succession
25. Define primary and secondary succession. What is the main difference between the
two?
26. Sketch an ecosystem going through ecological succession after a forest fire. Which type
of succession should you start with?
27. What is a keystone species?
28. What is an indicator species?