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Difficulty: MediumBiodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

With reference to the ecological diversity metrics introduced by R. H. Whittaker, consider the following statements:

1. Alpha diversity measures the species richness within a single uniform habitat or local ecosystem.
2. Beta diversity quantifies the degree of species turnover or change in species composition between adjacent ecosystems along an environmental gradient.
3. Gamma diversity represents the total species richness across an entire landscape or regional scale encompassing multiple habitats.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3Answer
  4. D
    1 and 3 only

Answer

All three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct.
All three statements are factually correct. R. H. Whittaker categorized biological diversity into three spatial components: Alpha diversity (local richness within a uniform habitat), Beta diversity (species turnover between habitats along environmental gradients), and Gamma diversity (overall species diversity over an entire geographic region).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1 regarding Alpha diversity.
Statement 1 is correct. Alpha diversity refers to local diversity, measuring the number of species within a particular area or ecosystem.
It assesses point diversity or intra-community richness.
2
Analyze Statement 2 regarding Beta diversity.
Statement 2 is correct. Beta diversity evaluates inter-community diversity, measuring the differentiation or change in species composition between communities or along ecological gradients.
High beta diversity indicates low similarity between communities.
3
Analyze Statement 3 regarding Gamma diversity.
Statement 3 is correct. Gamma diversity measures total species richness for a large geographical area or landscape comprising various ecosystems.
It combines alpha diversity and beta diversity over a regional scale.

Key Concept

Spatial Components of Biodiversity (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Diversity)
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Topics

Biodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

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