Biology Flashcards: Analyze Biodiversity Data

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Analyze Biodiversity Data, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for Biology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is a confounding variable in a biodiversity field study dataset?

Answer: An uncontrolled factor that affects the response and is linked to the predictor. Hidden variable influences both predictor and response.

Flashcard 2: What is the definition of gamma diversity?

Answer: Total diversity across a larger region containing multiple sites. Combined diversity across an entire landscape or region.

Flashcard 3: What does it suggest if a species accumulation curve has reached an asymptote?

Answer: Additional sampling is unlikely to find many new species. Curve flattens when most species are already found.

Flashcard 4: What is the role of replication when comparing biodiversity between two habitats?

Answer: It reduces random error and increases confidence in differences observed. Multiple samples distinguish real patterns from chance.

Flashcard 5: Identify the correct interpretation of an increase in evenness while richness stays constant.

Answer: Diversity increases because individuals are more evenly distributed. More balanced abundance raises diversity measures.

Flashcard 6: What is a common interpretation if sensitive indicator species decline in a dataset?

Answer: Environmental quality is likely worsening (for example, pollution increasing). Declining sensitive species suggests habitat degradation.

Flashcard 7: What is biodiversity in the context of analyzing ecological data?

Answer: Variety of life measured across genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. Includes all forms of life variation across three hierarchical levels.

Flashcard 8: What is a common sampling bias that can reduce observed species richness?

Answer: Insufficient sampling effort or unequal detectability among species. Undersampling misses rare or hard-to-detect species.

Flashcard 9: Compute Simpson diversity $1-\sum p_i^2$ for two species with $p = 0.8$ and $0.2$.

Answer: $0.32$. Apply formula: $1 - 0.68 = 0.32$ for diversity.

Flashcard 10: Which community has higher richness: A has 6 species; B has 4 species. Choose one.

Answer: Community A. Richness is simply the count of species present.

Flashcard 11: What is relative abundance for species $i$ in a sample?

Answer: $p_i = \frac{n_i}{N}$. Proportion of species $i$ out of total individuals.

Flashcard 12: What does an invasive species typically do to native biodiversity over time?

Answer: Often reduces native diversity by competition, predation, or disease. Outcompetes natives through various ecological mechanisms.

Flashcard 13: Identify the correct conclusion: if richness is constant but $H$ increases, what changed?

Answer: Evenness increased. Higher diversity with constant richness means better evenness.

Flashcard 14: What does a larger Shannon index $H$ generally indicate about a community?

Answer: Higher diversity due to greater richness and or evenness. More species and/or balanced distribution increases index.

Flashcard 15: What is the Shannon diversity index formula used in many biology courses?

Answer: $H = -\sum p_i \ln(p_i)$. Natural log version measuring diversity with evenness weighting.

Flashcard 16: What is the difference between correlation and causation when analyzing biodiversity data?

Answer: Correlation is association; causation means one factor produces the change. Correlation shows pattern; causation proves mechanism.

Flashcard 17: What is a confounding variable in a biodiversity field study dataset?

Answer: An uncontrolled factor that affects the response and is linked to the predictor. Hidden variable influences both predictor and response.

Flashcard 18: What is the edge effect as a factor that can alter biodiversity measurements?

Answer: Changed conditions at habitat edges that can shift species composition. Boundary zones have different conditions affecting species.

Flashcard 19: Which option best describes why two communities can have equal richness but different diversity?

Answer: They can differ in evenness despite having the same richness. Evenness affects diversity independently of richness.

Flashcard 20: What is a rarefaction approach used for in biodiversity comparisons?

Answer: Standardizing diversity comparisons to equal sample size or effort. Corrects for unequal sampling intensity between studies.

Flashcard 21: What does the species-area relationship generally state about richness as area increases?

Answer: Species richness tends to increase as sampled area increases. Larger areas support more species through habitat diversity.

Flashcard 22: What is the edge effect as a factor that can alter biodiversity measurements?

Answer: Changed conditions at habitat edges that can shift species composition. Boundary zones have different conditions affecting species.

Flashcard 23: Choose the correct inference: two sites share few species; is beta diversity high or low?

Answer: High beta diversity. Few shared species indicates high species turnover.

Flashcard 24: What is a rarefaction approach used for in biodiversity comparisons?

Answer: Standardizing diversity comparisons to equal sample size or effort. Corrects for unequal sampling intensity between studies.

Flashcard 25: What is species evenness in biodiversity analysis?

Answer: How evenly individuals are distributed among species. Measures how balanced abundance is across species.

Flashcard 26: What is species evenness in biodiversity analysis?

Answer: How evenly individuals are distributed among species. Measures how balanced abundance is across species.

Flashcard 27: What does an invasive species typically do to native biodiversity over time?

Answer: Often reduces native diversity by competition, predation, or disease. Outcompetes natives through various ecological mechanisms.

Flashcard 28: What is species richness as used in biodiversity datasets?

Answer: The number of different species present in a defined area. Simply counts distinct species without considering abundance.

Flashcard 29: Identify the correct conclusion: if richness is constant but $H$ increases, what changed?

Answer: Evenness increased. Higher diversity with constant richness means better evenness.

Flashcard 30: What is a species accumulation curve used to evaluate in sampling data?

Answer: Whether sampling effort is sufficient to capture most species. Shows if sampling found most species present.

Flashcard 31: What is a keystone species and why is it important in biodiversity interpretation?

Answer: A species with large ecosystem impact; its loss can reduce diversity. Disproportionate ecological influence maintains community structure.

Flashcard 32: What is the Shannon diversity index formula used in many biology courses?

Answer: $H = -\sum p_i \ln(p_i)$. Natural log version measuring diversity with evenness weighting.

Flashcard 33: What is the definition of alpha diversity?

Answer: Diversity within a single site or local community. Local diversity within one habitat or location.

Flashcard 34: What is an endemic species in biodiversity datasets?

Answer: A species native to and restricted to a specific geographic area. Found only in one specific geographic location.

Flashcard 35: What is a common interpretation if sensitive indicator species decline in a dataset?

Answer: Environmental quality is likely worsening (for example, pollution increasing). Declining sensitive species suggests habitat degradation.

Flashcard 36: Calculate richness: a site has species counts A:5, B:0, C:2, D:1. What is richness?

Answer: 3 species. Count species with abundance greater than zero.

Flashcard 37: What is the most appropriate graph type to show change in diversity over time?

Answer: Line graph. Displays temporal trends and changes over time.

Flashcard 38: Identify the correct interpretation of an increase in evenness while richness stays constant.

Answer: Diversity increases because individuals are more evenly distributed. More balanced abundance raises diversity measures.

Flashcard 39: What is species richness as used in biodiversity datasets?

Answer: The number of different species present in a defined area. Simply counts distinct species without considering abundance.

Flashcard 40: What does a larger Shannon index $H$ generally indicate about a community?

Answer: Higher diversity due to greater richness and or evenness. More species and/or balanced distribution increases index.

Flashcard 41: Find $p_i$: a species has $n_i = 8$ individuals out of $N = 40$. What is $p_i$?

Answer: $0.2$. Divide individual count by total sample size.

Flashcard 42: What does a larger value of $1 - \sum p_i^2$ generally indicate?

Answer: Higher diversity with lower dominance by any single species. Higher values indicate more even species distribution.

Flashcard 43: What is the most appropriate graph type to show relationship between diversity and area sampled?

Answer: Scatter plot. Reveals correlation between two continuous variables.

Flashcard 44: Compute Simpson diversity $1-\sum p_i^2$ for $p_1 = 0.5$ and $p_2 = 0.5$.

Answer: $0.5$. Subtract the sum of squared proportions from one.

Flashcard 45: In the formula $p_i = \frac{n_i}{N}$, what does $N$ represent?

Answer: Total number of individuals of all species in the sample. Sum of all individual organisms across species.

Flashcard 46: What is the definition of gamma diversity?

Answer: Total diversity across a larger region containing multiple sites. Combined diversity across an entire landscape or region.

Flashcard 47: What is habitat fragmentation and how is it linked to biodiversity data trends?

Answer: Breaking habitat into patches, often lowering richness and increasing extinctions. Smaller patches support fewer species due to isolation.

Flashcard 48: Compute $\sum p_i^2$ for $p = 0.8$ and $0.2$ (two species).

Answer: $0.68$. Calculate: $(0.8)^2 + (0.2)^2 = 0.64 + 0.04$.

Flashcard 49: What is the definition of beta diversity?

Answer: Difference in species composition between sites. Measures how species change between different locations.

Flashcard 50: What is the most appropriate graph type to show change in diversity over time?

Answer: Line graph. Displays temporal trends and changes over time.

Flashcard 51: What is the Simpson diversity index (diversity form) commonly used in biodiversity analysis?

Answer: $1 - \sum p_i^2$. Probability-based index measuring species diversity.

Flashcard 52: What is the most appropriate graph type to compare species abundances across categories?

Answer: Bar graph. Shows relative abundance differences between categories clearly.

Flashcard 53: What is the Simpson diversity index (diversity form) commonly used in biodiversity analysis?

Answer: $1 - \sum p_i^2$. Probability-based index measuring species diversity.

Flashcard 54: Compute Simpson diversity $1-\sum p_i^2$ for $p_1 = 0.5$ and $p_2 = 0.5$.

Answer: $0.5$. Subtract the sum of squared proportions from one.

Flashcard 55: What does it suggest if a species accumulation curve has reached an asymptote?

Answer: Additional sampling is unlikely to find many new species. Curve flattens when most species are already found.

Flashcard 56: What is a common sampling bias that can reduce observed species richness?

Answer: Insufficient sampling effort or unequal detectability among species. Undersampling misses rare or hard-to-detect species.

Flashcard 57: What is the difference between correlation and causation when analyzing biodiversity data?

Answer: Correlation is association; causation means one factor produces the change. Correlation shows pattern; causation proves mechanism.

Flashcard 58: What is the key assumption when using quadrat sampling to estimate plant diversity?

Answer: Quadrats are representative and placed using an unbiased method. Random placement captures true community diversity patterns.

Flashcard 59: What is the formula for percent composition of species $i$ in a sample?

Answer: $\% = \frac{n_i}{N} \times 100$. Converts abundance to percentage of total individuals.

Flashcard 60: What is the definition of beta diversity?

Answer: Difference in species composition between sites. Measures how species change between different locations.

Flashcard 61: What is the difference between accuracy and precision in biodiversity measurements?

Answer: Accuracy is closeness to true value; precision is consistency of repeats. Accuracy measures correctness; precision measures repeatability.

Flashcard 62: Identify the more even community: A has counts $25,25,25,25$; B has $70,10,10,10$.

Answer: Community A. Equal abundances create maximum evenness.

Flashcard 63: What is dominance in biodiversity data interpretation?

Answer: A pattern where one species has much higher abundance than others. One species overwhelms others in relative abundance.

Flashcard 64: What is the most appropriate graph type to compare species abundances across categories?

Answer: Bar graph. Shows relative abundance differences between categories clearly.

Flashcard 65: Compute $\sum p_i^2$ for $p = 0.8$ and $0.2$ (two species).

Answer: $0.68$. Calculate: $(0.8)^2 + (0.2)^2 = 0.64 + 0.04$.

Flashcard 66: What is habitat fragmentation and how is it linked to biodiversity data trends?

Answer: Breaking habitat into patches, often lowering richness and increasing extinctions. Smaller patches support fewer species due to isolation.

Flashcard 67: What is relative abundance for species $i$ in a sample?

Answer: $p_i = \frac{n_i}{N}$. Proportion of species $i$ out of total individuals.

Flashcard 68: Calculate richness: a site has species counts A:5, B:0, C:2, D:1. What is richness?

Answer: 3 species. Count species with abundance greater than zero.

Flashcard 69: What is an indicator species in environmental monitoring datasets?

Answer: A species whose presence or abundance reflects environmental conditions. Abundance changes signal environmental health changes.

Flashcard 70: What is an indicator species in environmental monitoring datasets?

Answer: A species whose presence or abundance reflects environmental conditions. Abundance changes signal environmental health changes.

Flashcard 71: What is an endemic species in biodiversity datasets?

Answer: A species native to and restricted to a specific geographic area. Found only in one specific geographic location.

Flashcard 72: Compute $\sum p_i^2$ for two species with $p_1 = 0.5$ and $p_2 = 0.5$.

Answer: $0.5$. Square each proportion and sum the results.

Flashcard 73: What is a species accumulation curve used to evaluate in sampling data?

Answer: Whether sampling effort is sufficient to capture most species. Shows if sampling found most species present.

Flashcard 74: Choose the correct inference: two sites share few species; is beta diversity high or low?

Answer: High beta diversity. Few shared species indicates high species turnover.

Flashcard 75: What is the difference between accuracy and precision in biodiversity measurements?

Answer: Accuracy is closeness to true value; precision is consistency of repeats. Accuracy measures correctness; precision measures repeatability.

Flashcard 76: Which community has higher richness: A has 6 species; B has 4 species. Choose one.

Answer: Community A. Richness is simply the count of species present.

Flashcard 77: Calculate percent composition: $n_i = 12$ and $N = 60$. What percent is species $i$?

Answer: $20\%$. Multiply relative abundance by 100 for percentage.

Flashcard 78: What is the key assumption when using a transect to compare diversity across a gradient?

Answer: Sampling points are consistently spaced and represent the gradient. Systematic sampling accurately reflects environmental changes.

Flashcard 79: Find $p_i$: a species has $n_i = 8$ individuals out of $N = 40$. What is $p_i$?

Answer: $0.2$. Divide individual count by total sample size.

Flashcard 80: What is the formula for percent composition of species $i$ in a sample?

Answer: $\% = \frac{n_i}{N} \times 100$. Converts abundance to percentage of total individuals.

Flashcard 81: What is a keystone species and why is it important in biodiversity interpretation?

Answer: A species with large ecosystem impact; its loss can reduce diversity. Disproportionate ecological influence maintains community structure.

Flashcard 82: What does a larger value of $1 - \sum p_i^2$ generally indicate?

Answer: Higher diversity with lower dominance by any single species. Higher values indicate more even species distribution.

Flashcard 83: What does abundance mean in a biodiversity data table?

Answer: The number of individuals of a species in the sample. Raw count of organisms for each species.

Flashcard 84: What is species turnover as interpreted from beta diversity data?

Answer: Replacement of species from one site to another. Different species occupy different sites across landscape.

Flashcard 85: What is dominance in biodiversity data interpretation?

Answer: A pattern where one species has much higher abundance than others. One species overwhelms others in relative abundance.

Flashcard 86: Compute $\sum p_i^2$ for two species with $p_1 = 0.5$ and $p_2 = 0.5$.

Answer: $0.5$. Square each proportion and sum the results.

Flashcard 87: Which option best describes why two communities can have equal richness but different diversity?

Answer: They can differ in evenness despite having the same richness. Evenness affects diversity independently of richness.

Flashcard 88: What is the key assumption when using a transect to compare diversity across a gradient?

Answer: Sampling points are consistently spaced and represent the gradient. Systematic sampling accurately reflects environmental changes.

Flashcard 89: Compute Simpson diversity $1-\sum p_i^2$ for two species with $p = 0.8$ and $0.2$.

Answer: $0.32$. Apply formula: $1 - 0.68 = 0.32$ for diversity.

Flashcard 90: What is the role of replication when comparing biodiversity between two habitats?

Answer: It reduces random error and increases confidence in differences observed. Multiple samples distinguish real patterns from chance.

Flashcard 91: What is species turnover as interpreted from beta diversity data?

Answer: Replacement of species from one site to another. Different species occupy different sites across landscape.

Flashcard 92: Identify the more even community: A has counts $25,25,25,25$; B has $70,10,10,10$.

Answer: Community A. Equal abundances create maximum evenness.

Flashcard 93: What is the key assumption when using quadrat sampling to estimate plant diversity?

Answer: Quadrats are representative and placed using an unbiased method. Random placement captures true community diversity patterns.

Flashcard 94: What does the species-area relationship generally state about richness as area increases?

Answer: Species richness tends to increase as sampled area increases. Larger areas support more species through habitat diversity.

Flashcard 95: What does abundance mean in a biodiversity data table?

Answer: The number of individuals of a species in the sample. Raw count of organisms for each species.

Flashcard 96: Calculate percent composition: $n_i = 12$ and $N = 60$. What percent is species $i$?

Answer: $20\%$. Multiply relative abundance by 100 for percentage.

Flashcard 97: What is the most appropriate graph type to show relationship between diversity and area sampled?

Answer: Scatter plot. Reveals correlation between two continuous variables.