Option C: Conservation of biodiversity

Understandings:
• An indicator species is an organism used to assess a specific environmental condition - such as a fish in a river, or butterflies with radiation from nuclear fallout

• Biogeographic factors affect species diversity.

• Richness and evenness are components of biodiversity.

• Relative numbers of indicator species can be used to calculate the value of a biotic index.  
  1. Biotic Index (also called "Family Biotic Index") is a scale for showing the quality of an environment by indicating the types of organisms present in it. It is often used to assess the quality of water in rivers.
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Skill: Analysis of the biodiversity of two local communities using Simpson’s
reciprocal index of diversity.

Simpson's Diversity Index is a measure of diversity which takes into account the number of species present, as well as the relative abundance of each species. As species richness and evenness increase, so diversity increases
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Guidance:  The formula for Simpson’s reciprocal index of diversity is:









The higher the index value, the more stable or diverse the area is.

In situ conservation

In situ conservation may require active management of nature reserves or national parks.







Aim 8: Scientists supported by governments are devoting relatively large amounts of effort to save particular animal species. Can criteria be established to justify a hierarchy of value of one species over another?

Ex situ conservation

Ex situ conservation is the preservation of species outside their natural habitats.
Application: Case study of the captive breeding and reintroduction of an endangered animal species.  Research the captive breeding program
of the California Condor.  How successful has its reintroduction been?
Application: Analysis of the impact of biogeographic factors on diversity limited to island size and edge effects.