C. Explain why biodiversity is important to maintaining viable ecosystems using examples from the arctic tundra.
Biodiversity is essential for maintaining viable ecosystems as it strengthens populations, enable the relationships between different species, and provides the appropriate conditions and processes. This is all thanks to the three levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Genetic Diversity
Wider genetic diversity means that there are more variations of genes of a particular species to be selected in accordance to the needs to fit with the conditions of the environment. For example, in a larger population of the arctic fox, it is more likely for there to be a gene that is resistant to a disease in comparison to a smaller population. This means that the likelihood of the arctic fox to go extinct is reduced in a more genetically diverse area. Furthermore, genetic diversity reduces the occurrence of unfavourable traits. In a small population, the arctic foxes may be forced to breed with foxes that do not have outstanding hearing. This produces offspring with the genetic flaw, increasing the number of foxes with the unfavourable trait. However, in a large population, the arctic foxes do not need to breed with the foxes that lack hearing in order for their population to survive. Therefore, the foxes interbreed with foxes that have high hearing abilities. This creates offspring with outstanding hearing abilities as well, increasing the number of foxes with the favourable trait.
Species Diversity
Similarly, species diversity also allows for populations to survive as different species rely on each other for survival. Take the relationships and reliances between the organisms from the arctic tundra for example. The organisms of the arctic tundra are all part of a food chain in which the extinction of a single species could disrupt the whole food chain. For instance, the extinction of the reindeer will decrease the population of their predators, such as the arctic wolf and the polar bear due to a shortage of food. Some predators will start to concentrate their hunting on a different prey, which will decrease the population of that species as well. The species that were once the food sources of the reindeer, such as grasses and lichens, will increase in population since one of their dominate eaters no longer exist. As you can see, the disappearance of even a single species can impact the whole food chain the arctic tundra, stressing the importance of biodiversity.
Ecosystem Diversity
The third level of biodiversity, which is ecosystem diversity can be regarded to be most accountable for maintaining viable ecosystems. Ecosystem diversity refers to all the different habitats, all the different organisms, and the relationship between the two. The diversity of the arctic tundra ecosystem allows for all the life-sustaining conditions and processes, such the making of nutrients by the micro-organism, of which are used by plant, of which are eaten by herbivores, of which are eaten by omnivores and carnivores. Some additional ones are the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, as well as the the prevention of contaminated water and extensive erosion. It is impossible to name every single relationship between the habitats and the organisms, and the relationship between different organisms of the arctic tundra. This is because there are hundreds of thousands of relationship that intermingle with each other as well. Despite the uncountable number of relationships, every single one exists because of a reason and a single one can have great impacts on the ecosystem.
In summation, biodiversity is key to maintain a healthy ecosystem because without the genetic, species, and ecosystem diversities, the populations will be weak, there will be no relationships between species, and there will be no relationships between species and their habitats.
Biodiversity is essential for maintaining viable ecosystems as it strengthens populations, enable the relationships between different species, and provides the appropriate conditions and processes. This is all thanks to the three levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Genetic Diversity
Wider genetic diversity means that there are more variations of genes of a particular species to be selected in accordance to the needs to fit with the conditions of the environment. For example, in a larger population of the arctic fox, it is more likely for there to be a gene that is resistant to a disease in comparison to a smaller population. This means that the likelihood of the arctic fox to go extinct is reduced in a more genetically diverse area. Furthermore, genetic diversity reduces the occurrence of unfavourable traits. In a small population, the arctic foxes may be forced to breed with foxes that do not have outstanding hearing. This produces offspring with the genetic flaw, increasing the number of foxes with the unfavourable trait. However, in a large population, the arctic foxes do not need to breed with the foxes that lack hearing in order for their population to survive. Therefore, the foxes interbreed with foxes that have high hearing abilities. This creates offspring with outstanding hearing abilities as well, increasing the number of foxes with the favourable trait.
Species Diversity
Similarly, species diversity also allows for populations to survive as different species rely on each other for survival. Take the relationships and reliances between the organisms from the arctic tundra for example. The organisms of the arctic tundra are all part of a food chain in which the extinction of a single species could disrupt the whole food chain. For instance, the extinction of the reindeer will decrease the population of their predators, such as the arctic wolf and the polar bear due to a shortage of food. Some predators will start to concentrate their hunting on a different prey, which will decrease the population of that species as well. The species that were once the food sources of the reindeer, such as grasses and lichens, will increase in population since one of their dominate eaters no longer exist. As you can see, the disappearance of even a single species can impact the whole food chain the arctic tundra, stressing the importance of biodiversity.
Ecosystem Diversity
The third level of biodiversity, which is ecosystem diversity can be regarded to be most accountable for maintaining viable ecosystems. Ecosystem diversity refers to all the different habitats, all the different organisms, and the relationship between the two. The diversity of the arctic tundra ecosystem allows for all the life-sustaining conditions and processes, such the making of nutrients by the micro-organism, of which are used by plant, of which are eaten by herbivores, of which are eaten by omnivores and carnivores. Some additional ones are the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, as well as the the prevention of contaminated water and extensive erosion. It is impossible to name every single relationship between the habitats and the organisms, and the relationship between different organisms of the arctic tundra. This is because there are hundreds of thousands of relationship that intermingle with each other as well. Despite the uncountable number of relationships, every single one exists because of a reason and a single one can have great impacts on the ecosystem.
In summation, biodiversity is key to maintain a healthy ecosystem because without the genetic, species, and ecosystem diversities, the populations will be weak, there will be no relationships between species, and there will be no relationships between species and their habitats.