Biodiversity Quiz

What does biodiversity refer to?

• The number of individuals in a species

• The variety of life in an area

• The number of habitats in a region

• The genetic similarity among species

Answer explanation

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in an area, encompassing different species, ecosystems, and genetic variations.

How does biodiversity affect an ecosystem?

• It decreases the stability of an ecosystem

• It has no impact on the ecosystem

• It increases the stability of an ecosystem and contributes to the health of the biosphere

• It reduces the health of the biosphere

Answer explanation

Biodiversity increases the stability of an ecosystem and contributes to the health of the biosphere, making it the correct choice.

What is genetic diversity?

• The uniformity of genes in a population

• The variety of genes or inheritable characteristics that are present in a population

• The decrease in species survival during changing environmental conditions

• The study of genetic mutations in a single species

Answer explanation

Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes or inheritable characteristics present in a population, making it the correct choice.

How does genetic diversity affect a species' chances of survival during changing environmental conditions or an outbreak of disease?

• It decreases the chances of survival

• It has no effect on the chances of survival

• It increases the chances that some species will survive

• It ensures all individuals within a species will survive

Answer explanation

Genetic diversity increases the chances that some species will survive by providing a wider range of traits that may be beneficial in changing environmental conditions or during an outbreak of disease.

What does species diversity refer to in a biological community?

• The number of different species

• The relative abundance of each species

• Both the number of different species and the relative abundance of each species

• The geographical distribution of different species

Answer explanation

Species diversity refers to both the number of different species and the relative abundance of each species in a biological community.

What percentage of the world's food crops come from just a few species?

• Most

• Half

• A small percentage

• None

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'Most' because a large percentage of the world's food crops come from just a few species, indicating that most of the food crops are derived from a limited number of plant species.

What role do wild species play in agriculture?

• They are irrelevant to agriculture.

• They are pests to domestic crops.

• They serve as sources of desirable genetic traits for improving domestic crop species.

• They compete with domestic crops for resources.

Answer explanation

Wild species serve as sources of desirable genetic traits for improving domestic crop species, making them essential in agriculture.

What is the current high rate of extinction attributed to?

• Natural disasters

• The activities of humans

• Climate change

• Alien species invasion

Answer explanation

The current high rate of extinction is attributed to the activities of humans, such as habitat destruction, pollution, and overexploitation of resources.

Why are new traits not evolving as quickly as needed to cope with changing Earth conditions?

• Because of a lack of genetic diversity

• Because the Earth is not changing

• Because humans are changing Earth conditions faster than new traits can evolve

• Because new traits are not necessary

Answer explanation

The correct answer is that humans are changing Earth conditions faster than new traits can evolve, leading to a mismatch in the rate of adaptation.

What is considered the number one threat to biodiversity?

• Natural disasters

• Climate change

• Human beings

• Invasive species

Answer explanation

Human beings are considered the number one threat to biodiversity due to activities like habitat destruction, pollution, and overexploitation.