BiodiversityIB MYP Biology: Flashcards

Exam questions on Biodiversity

1. Ecologists sampled two woodland plots of the same size. In Plot X they found 40 individual plants belonging to 12 different species. In Plot Y they found 200 individual plants belonging to 5 different species, most of them one species of fast-growing grass.
   Explain why Plot Y has lower biodiversity than Plot X even though it has more individuals.2 marks
2. A coral reef off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia, is home to thousands of species of corals, fish and other animals. Local people fish on the reef, tourists pay to dive there, and the reef absorbs the force of waves during storms.
   Outline two ways in which the biodiversity of the reef benefits local people.2 marks
3. Students compared ground beetles in two fields in southern Poland. Field A is a meadow with many wild flowers. Field B is a wheat field sprayed with pesticide. The students set 10 pitfall traps in each field for one night. In field A they caught four species, with 10, 8, 7 and 5 beetles. In field B they caught three species, with 25, 4 and 1 beetles.
   The diversity index D = N(N − 1) ÷ Σn(n − 1), where N is the total number of individuals and n is the number of individuals of each species. Calculate D for field A. Show your working.3 marks