Question

write your answers in the spaces provided. refer to the figure or diagram to answer the question. where explanation or discussion is required, support your answers with relevant information and/or specific examples.
(a) identify two different scales on which biodiversity can be measured.
(b) use the diagram to describe one difference in biodiversity between community a and community b.
(c) describe one regulating service provided by a community like the one shown above.
(d) an ecologist is interested in the effect that fire intensity has on the biodiversity of tree communities.
(i) describe the control group for an experiment that examines the effect of fire intensity on the biodiversity of tree communities.
(ii) the diagram illustrates some of the results of the experiment. the experimental group with the highest - intensity fire after twenty years is shown in community a. the experimental group with the lowest - intensity fire after twenty years is shown in community b. based on this information, state the likely original hypothesis.

Explanation:

(a) Biodiversity can be measured at genetic (variation within a species' genes), species (number of different species), and ecosystem (variety of ecosystems) scales. Two common ones are species - richness (number of species) and genetic - diversity.
(b) Community A has less species - richness as it has fewer tree - species types compared to Community B.
(c) One regulating service is carbon sequestration. Trees in the community absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon, helping to regulate the climate.
(d)(i) The control group would be a group of tree communities that are not exposed to any fire. This allows for comparison of biodiversity changes in the fire - exposed experimental groups.
(d)(ii) The likely original hypothesis is that higher fire intensity leads to lower biodiversity in tree communities after twenty years, as Community A (higher - intensity fire) has less biodiversity than Community B (lower - intensity fire).

Answer:

(a) Species - richness and genetic - diversity.
(b) Community A has lower species - richness than Community B.
(c) Carbon sequestration.
(d)(i) A group of tree communities with no fire exposure.
(d)(ii) Higher fire intensity leads to lower biodiversity in tree communities after twenty years.