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Ch. 38 Conservation Biology
Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksTaylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 38 Conservation BiologyProblem 9
Chapter 38, Problem 9

What are the three levels of biological diversity? Explain how human activities threaten each of these levels.

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Identify the three levels of biological diversity: Genetic diversity, Species diversity, and Ecosystem diversity. Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes within a species, species diversity refers to the variety of species within a habitat or region, and ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems in a biosphere.
Explain how human activities threaten genetic diversity: Activities such as habitat destruction, pollution, and over-harvesting can reduce the genetic diversity within populations by decreasing population sizes and isolating populations from each other. This can lead to inbreeding and reduced adaptability to environmental changes.
Discuss the impact of human activities on species diversity: Human actions like deforestation, urbanization, and introduction of invasive species disrupt habitats and can lead to species extinction. This reduces the number of species (biodiversity) and can disrupt ecological interactions.
Describe how human activities affect ecosystem diversity: Large-scale changes such as land use change, water diversion, and climate change can alter the structure and function of ecosystems. This can lead to loss of ecosystem services, which are critical for human survival and well-being.
Summarize the overall impact of human activities on biological diversity: By understanding the specific threats to each level of biological diversity, conservation efforts can be better directed to preserve the genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity, which are all crucial for maintaining the planet's health and resilience.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes within a species. It is crucial for a population's ability to adapt to changing environments and resist diseases. High genetic diversity increases resilience, while low diversity can lead to inbreeding and vulnerability. Human activities, such as habitat destruction and pollution, can reduce genetic diversity by isolating populations and limiting gene flow.
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Species Diversity

Species diversity encompasses the variety of species within a given ecosystem, including the number of different species and their relative abundance. It is essential for ecosystem stability and function, as diverse species contribute to various ecological roles. Human activities like overfishing, deforestation, and urbanization threaten species diversity by causing habitat loss and extinction.
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Ecosystem Diversity

Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems within a particular area, including different habitats, communities, and ecological processes. It is vital for maintaining ecological balance and providing services such as clean water, pollination, and climate regulation. Human-induced changes, such as climate change and land-use alterations, can disrupt ecosystem diversity, leading to degraded environments and loss of ecosystem services.
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Introduction to Ecosystems
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Movement corridors are

a. The routes taken by migratory animals.

b. Strips or clumps of habitat that connect isolated fragments of habitat.

c. Landscapes that include several different ecosystems.

d. Edges, or boundaries, between ecosystems.

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Textbook Question

With limited resources, conservation biologists need to prioritize their efforts. Of the following choices, which should receive the greatest attention for the goal of conserving biodiversity?

a. A commercially important species

b. All endangered vertebrate species

c. A declining keystone species in a community

d. All endangered species

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Textbook Question
Which of the following statements about protected areas is not correct?a. We now protect 25% of the land areas of the planet.b. National parks are only one type of protected area.c. Most reserves are smaller in size than the ranges of some of the species they are meant to protect.d. Management of protected areas must coordinate with the management of lands outside the protected zone.
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Textbook Question
What are 'greenhouse gases'? Why are they important to life on Earth?
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Textbook Question

What are the causes and possible consequences of climate change?

Why is international cooperation necessary if we are to solve this problem?

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Textbook Question

The human-generated increase in greenhouse gases (see Module 38.3) provides many opportunities to study the effects of climate change. For example, snowshoe hares are adapted to the climate of their habitat in the taiga of the high mountains and northern regions of North America. One adaptation is seasonal changes in fur color—a white winter coat that turns brown in the spring—that camouflage hares from a long list of predators. These color changes are triggered by day length. As increasing spring temperatures cause earlier snowmelt in the taiga, biologists have observed many white hares sitting on brown earth. Suggest how this natural experiment could be used to investigate the effects of climate change on populations and communities in the taiga ecosystem (assume historical data are available).

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