Biodiversity

What is Biodiversity?

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

Wake STEM Campus Biodiversity

Calculating Biodiversity Activity 

Absent? Too cold? Use this image to practice instead.

2023 Wake STEM Campus Biodiversity Spreadsheet  <- Enter your group's data here

Diversity Index Questions

Talk with your team about the following and be prepared to share with the class:

1. Definition and Concept:

   • Explain the concept of biodiversity and how Simpson's Diversity Index contributes to our understanding of it.
   • Describe in simple terms what a high Simpson's Diversity Index value indicates about a community.

2. Interpretation:

   • If you have two communities with Simpson's Diversity Index values of 0.2 and 0.8, which one is more diverse? Why?
   • How does the presence of a dominant species influence the Simpson's Diversity Index value?

3. Calculations:

   • If you have a community with 5 species and the dominance of each species is relatively equal, predict whether the Simpson's Diversity Index would be closer to 0 or 1.
   • If a community has a Simpson's Diversity Index of 0.6, how would you interpret this in terms of species diversity?

4. Comparisons:

   • Compare and contrast Simpson's Diversity Index with other measures of biodiversity, such as species richness.
   • Discuss how changes in community structure can affect Simpson's Diversity Index over time.

5. Real-world Application:

   • Analyze a hypothetical scenario where a natural habitat is disturbed by human activities. Predict how Simpson's Diversity Index might change in response to the disturbance.

6. Ecosystem Resilience:

   • Explain how a high Simpson's Diversity Index might contribute to the resilience of an ecosystem in the face of environmental changes.
   • Discuss the potential implications of a low Simpson's Diversity Index in terms of ecosystem stability.

7. Sampling Techniques:

   • Describe how the method of sampling can influence the accuracy of Simpson's Diversity Index calculations.
   • Discuss the advantages and limitations of using quadrats to sample biodiversity compared to other methods.

8. Human Impact:

   • Explore how human activities such as deforestation or pollution might affect Simpson's Diversity Index in local ecosystems.
   • Propose conservation strategies that could help maintain or enhance biodiversity based on Simpson's Diversity Index assessments.

Diversity Index Practice

Try these practice problems.