Biodiversity and Niche Concepts

The video explores patterns in biodiversity, focusing on species richness and diversity in tropical regions. It discusses how niche theory helps explain these patterns, comparing species diversity across different habitats and geographical areas. The species-area relationship is examined, highlighting how larger areas support more species. The concept of scale and fractal environments is introduced, showing how they affect diversity. Niche theory is further explored, detailing how species compete and coexist within communities.

Which region is known for having the highest species richness and diversity?

• Polar regions

• Deserts

• Temperate zones

• Tropical areas

What is the primary reason larger areas tend to have more species?

• They are closer to the equator

• They offer a greater diversity of habitats

• They have more sunlight

• They have more rainfall

How does the perception of habitat differ among organisms?

• Perception depends on the organism's size and movement

• Larger organisms perceive more details

• All organisms perceive habitats the same way

• Only flying organisms have a different perception

What is alpha diversity?

• The turnover of species between habitats

• The total number of species in a continent

• The diversity of species in a small, homogeneous area

• The diversity of species in a large region

What does beta diversity measure?

• The total number of species in a region

• The diversity of plant species only

• The change in species composition from one habitat to another

• The number of species in a single habitat

What is a fundamental niche?

• The actual conditions a species lives in

• The range of conditions a species can potentially tolerate

• The niche occupied by the most dominant species

• The niche with the least competition

What happens when two species' niches overlap significantly?

• They compete more intensely

• They merge into a single species

• They avoid each other completely

• They become more diverse

What is the realized niche of a species?

• The niche with the least predators

• The niche with the highest resource availability

• The niche it actually occupies in the presence of competitors

• The niche it could potentially occupy

How can a community hold more species according to niche theory?

• By decreasing the resource availability

• By increasing the number of dominant species

• By reducing the number of predators

• By increasing the total niche space

What is niche breadth?

• The number of species in a niche

• The range of resources a species uses

• The number of competitors in a niche

• The size of the habitat a species occupies