BROOKS BIODIVERSITY UNIT 3
PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Biodiversity.
Answer: Biodiversity is an abbreviation for biological diversity and is the
variety of living organisms in an area. It can be measured at different levels.
◍ Plants Architecture.
Answer: Plant needsi. collection & conversion of solar energy -> leavesii.
positioning & support of leaves -> stems iii. anchorage & absorption ->
rootsiv. transport -> vascular system
◍ Genetic diversity.
Answer: refers to variation of genetic types within a species
◍ Species diversity.
Answer: refers to number of different species
◍ Leaf Structure.
Answer: Epidermis, Mesophyll, and Vein (Vascular Bundle)
◍ Ecosystem diversity.
Answer: refers to the variety of different types of habitats or ecosystems
available
◍ Species richness.
Answer: This is the number of different species in an ecosystem. It takes no
notice of abundance and gives as much weight to those species which have
very few individuals as to those who have thousands.
,◍ Species evenness.
Answer: This is a measure of the relative abundance of the different species.
A community dominated by one or two species is considered to be less
diverse than one in which several different species have a similar
abundance.
◍ Epidermis contains what?.
Answer: - Cuticle- Guard cells with Stomata
◍ Percentage cover.
Answer: If we want to know what kind of plants are in a particular habitat,
and how many there are of each species, it is usually impossible to go and
count each and every one present. Therefore, we use a quadrat and estimate
percentage cover.
◍ Epidermis.
Answer: outermost cell layer of a plant bodycutin: (wax) excreted by
epidermis
◍ Cuticle.
Answer: Waxy waterproof covering of a plant.Produced by the epidermis
and has wax to resist desiccation.
◍ Percentage frequency.
Answer: This is the probability that a species will be found within a single
quadrat.Percentage frequency = (number of quadrats in which the species is
found/total number of quadrats) x 100
◍ Simpsons Diversity Index.
Answer: (D). This measures the probability that two individuals randomly
selected from a sample will belong to the same species. If you need extra
help on calculating this, then head to the Simpsons Diversity page.
◍ Guard Cells.
Answer: Responsible for opening and closing stomata.Works together with
stomata to regulate gas exchange.Prevents movement of water ACROSS
surface
,◍ The value of Simpsons Diversity Index ranges between 0 and 1. What does
an index closer to 1 represent?.
Answer: The greater the index value, the greater the sample diversity.
◍ What are some problems associated with the percentage cover method of
determining species diversity?.
Answer: Very subjective. One drawback of this method is that plants in
flower tend to be over-estimated while low-growing plants are
under-estimated.
◍ spatial scale.
Answer: A spatial scale refers to the size of the ecosystem being considered.
Ecosystems can be studied at a number of different sizes. Broadly:Large
scale: for example, an entire continent or ocean.Medium scale: for example,
a mountain range or desert.Small scale: for example, a single local area such
as a specific forest, paddock or mountain.
◍ temporal scale.
Answer: A temporal scale considers an ecosystem over a particular
timeframe.This can range from very small scale (i.e. hours to days) to
medium scale (seasonal) to very large scale (years). A good example of this
is succession, where pioneer species are the first to populate an area, but
over time, a climax community will develop.
◍ Stomata.
Answer: Small openings on the underside of a leaf through which oxygen
and carbon dioxide can move.Mostly on lower surfaces, sometimes on upper
surfaces. Found on both surfaces. Allows for gas exchange.
◍ 2 aspects of Photosynthesis.
Answer: light dependent reactionslight independent reactions
◍ Mesophyll contains what?.
Answer: - Parenchyma - Dicots have Palisade & Spongy Layers
◍ On a walk in the Daintree rainforest, we saw 1 cassowary, 2 tree frogs, 2
, golden orb spiders, 1 feral pig and 3 rufous owls. a) What is the species
richness? b) Calculate D using the Menhinick Index..
Answer: a) Species richness = 5; b) D = 5/3 = 1.67
◍ Mesophyll.
Answer: Middle leaf structures photosynthetic layer.
◍ Ecologists studied the process of succession in an area of wasteland over a
period of fifteen years. They calculated the index of diversity of the area
every year. After three years, the index of diversity was 1.7. After ten years,
it had risen to 4.6. What information concerning the organisms present in
the area is suggested by the increase in the index of diversity?.
Answer: - Increase in number of species- Increase in numbers of some
species
◍ Parenchyma.
Answer: Ground tissue that forms the bulk of the mesophyllCan be modified
into collenchyma and sclerenchymaThin and flexible cellsMost common
and versatile ground tissueUsed for metabolic functions and storage of
organic products
◍ Palisade & Spongy layers.
Answer: Palisade layer: where light dependent reactions occur, near the
surface. Top part of the mesophyll in dicot plants. Spongy mesophyll or
spongy parenchyma: soft lower layer. Has access to CO2 through stomata.
Kelvin Cycle: where carbon fixation occurs, converting nonorganic CO2
into sugars.
◍ Predation.
Answer: a species interaction where one species kills and eats another.
These interactions can differ temporally. For example, certain predators will
only hunt at night. Or one study found that some avian predators will match
the activity patterns of songbirds, indicating predators can evolve temporal
hunting strategies to exploit temporal patterns in prey behaviour.Spatially,
predator numbers are dictated by prey numbers in the local area, which are
in turn affected by ecosystem resources.
PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Biodiversity.
Answer: Biodiversity is an abbreviation for biological diversity and is the
variety of living organisms in an area. It can be measured at different levels.
◍ Plants Architecture.
Answer: Plant needsi. collection & conversion of solar energy -> leavesii.
positioning & support of leaves -> stems iii. anchorage & absorption ->
rootsiv. transport -> vascular system
◍ Genetic diversity.
Answer: refers to variation of genetic types within a species
◍ Species diversity.
Answer: refers to number of different species
◍ Leaf Structure.
Answer: Epidermis, Mesophyll, and Vein (Vascular Bundle)
◍ Ecosystem diversity.
Answer: refers to the variety of different types of habitats or ecosystems
available
◍ Species richness.
Answer: This is the number of different species in an ecosystem. It takes no
notice of abundance and gives as much weight to those species which have
very few individuals as to those who have thousands.
,◍ Species evenness.
Answer: This is a measure of the relative abundance of the different species.
A community dominated by one or two species is considered to be less
diverse than one in which several different species have a similar
abundance.
◍ Epidermis contains what?.
Answer: - Cuticle- Guard cells with Stomata
◍ Percentage cover.
Answer: If we want to know what kind of plants are in a particular habitat,
and how many there are of each species, it is usually impossible to go and
count each and every one present. Therefore, we use a quadrat and estimate
percentage cover.
◍ Epidermis.
Answer: outermost cell layer of a plant bodycutin: (wax) excreted by
epidermis
◍ Cuticle.
Answer: Waxy waterproof covering of a plant.Produced by the epidermis
and has wax to resist desiccation.
◍ Percentage frequency.
Answer: This is the probability that a species will be found within a single
quadrat.Percentage frequency = (number of quadrats in which the species is
found/total number of quadrats) x 100
◍ Simpsons Diversity Index.
Answer: (D). This measures the probability that two individuals randomly
selected from a sample will belong to the same species. If you need extra
help on calculating this, then head to the Simpsons Diversity page.
◍ Guard Cells.
Answer: Responsible for opening and closing stomata.Works together with
stomata to regulate gas exchange.Prevents movement of water ACROSS
surface
,◍ The value of Simpsons Diversity Index ranges between 0 and 1. What does
an index closer to 1 represent?.
Answer: The greater the index value, the greater the sample diversity.
◍ What are some problems associated with the percentage cover method of
determining species diversity?.
Answer: Very subjective. One drawback of this method is that plants in
flower tend to be over-estimated while low-growing plants are
under-estimated.
◍ spatial scale.
Answer: A spatial scale refers to the size of the ecosystem being considered.
Ecosystems can be studied at a number of different sizes. Broadly:Large
scale: for example, an entire continent or ocean.Medium scale: for example,
a mountain range or desert.Small scale: for example, a single local area such
as a specific forest, paddock or mountain.
◍ temporal scale.
Answer: A temporal scale considers an ecosystem over a particular
timeframe.This can range from very small scale (i.e. hours to days) to
medium scale (seasonal) to very large scale (years). A good example of this
is succession, where pioneer species are the first to populate an area, but
over time, a climax community will develop.
◍ Stomata.
Answer: Small openings on the underside of a leaf through which oxygen
and carbon dioxide can move.Mostly on lower surfaces, sometimes on upper
surfaces. Found on both surfaces. Allows for gas exchange.
◍ 2 aspects of Photosynthesis.
Answer: light dependent reactionslight independent reactions
◍ Mesophyll contains what?.
Answer: - Parenchyma - Dicots have Palisade & Spongy Layers
◍ On a walk in the Daintree rainforest, we saw 1 cassowary, 2 tree frogs, 2
, golden orb spiders, 1 feral pig and 3 rufous owls. a) What is the species
richness? b) Calculate D using the Menhinick Index..
Answer: a) Species richness = 5; b) D = 5/3 = 1.67
◍ Mesophyll.
Answer: Middle leaf structures photosynthetic layer.
◍ Ecologists studied the process of succession in an area of wasteland over a
period of fifteen years. They calculated the index of diversity of the area
every year. After three years, the index of diversity was 1.7. After ten years,
it had risen to 4.6. What information concerning the organisms present in
the area is suggested by the increase in the index of diversity?.
Answer: - Increase in number of species- Increase in numbers of some
species
◍ Parenchyma.
Answer: Ground tissue that forms the bulk of the mesophyllCan be modified
into collenchyma and sclerenchymaThin and flexible cellsMost common
and versatile ground tissueUsed for metabolic functions and storage of
organic products
◍ Palisade & Spongy layers.
Answer: Palisade layer: where light dependent reactions occur, near the
surface. Top part of the mesophyll in dicot plants. Spongy mesophyll or
spongy parenchyma: soft lower layer. Has access to CO2 through stomata.
Kelvin Cycle: where carbon fixation occurs, converting nonorganic CO2
into sugars.
◍ Predation.
Answer: a species interaction where one species kills and eats another.
These interactions can differ temporally. For example, certain predators will
only hunt at night. Or one study found that some avian predators will match
the activity patterns of songbirds, indicating predators can evolve temporal
hunting strategies to exploit temporal patterns in prey behaviour.Spatially,
predator numbers are dictated by prey numbers in the local area, which are
in turn affected by ecosystem resources.
