IB Biology: A4.2 Conservation of Biodiversity

What is biodiversity?

• The total number of organisms in an ecosystem

• The variety of life in all its forms, levels, and combinations

• The number of different ecosystems in a specific region

• The diversity of species within a single taxonomic group

What evidence suggests that there are more species alive today than at any time in the past?

• Fossil records indicate a steady increase in species diversity over time

• Scientists have discovered and named all species on Earth

• No species have gone extinct in the last 10,000 years

• The classification of species has remained unchanged since the 18th century

The difference between "splitters" and "lumpers" in taxonomy is that:

• Splitters classify more species within a group, while lumpers group organisms into fewer species

• Lumpers recognize more species than splitters

• Splitters ignore genetic differences, while lumpers focus on evolutionary history

• Lumpers focus on ecosystem diversity, while splitters focus on genetic diversity

The current mass extinction event is primarily caused by:

• Asteroid impacts

• Natural climate fluctuations

• Human activities such as habitat destruction and overexploitation

• Volcanic eruptions

Which species is an example of the loss of terrestrial megafauna due to human activities?

• Caribbean monk seal (Neomonachus tropicalis)

• North Island giant moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae)

• Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

• Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus)

What is a major cause of ecosystem loss in Southeast Asia?

• Industrial pollution

• The loss of mixed dipterocarp forest due to deforestation

• Rising sea levels

• Desertification

What is a key requirement for scientific surveys of biodiversity?

• They must be conducted only by expert scientists

• They should be repeated over time to track changes in species richness and evenness

• They should only focus on well-known species

• They must exclude data collected by citizen scientists

Which of the following is NOT a direct cause of the current biodiversity crisis?

• Urbanization

• Introduction of invasive species through global transport

• Natural selection

• Hunting and overexploitation

What is the primary goal of the EDGE of Existence program?

• To protect only the most abundant species

• To conserve evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species

• To classify species based on genetic similarities

• To focus conservation efforts only on plants

Which of the following is an example of ex situ conservation?

• Establishing a national park

• Protecting a species in its natural habitat

• Keeping endangered species in zoos and botanical gardens

• Restoring a degraded forest