(a) ‘‘India has greater ecosystem diversity than Norway.’’ Do you agree with the statement ? Give reasons in support of your answer.
(b) Write the difference between genetic biodiversity and species biodiversity that exists at all the levels of biological organisation
a) Sociobiologist Edward Wilson used the term ‘biodiversity’ to describe the combined diversity (heterogeneity) at all levels of biological organisation. Our biosphere exhibit immense diversity not only at the species level but at all levels of biological organisation ranging from macromolecules within cells to biomes. If we consider India at the ecosystem level, we observe that India has greater ecosystem diversity than a Scandinavian country Norway. India has deserts, dense rain forests, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, alpine meadows and estuaries.
b) Genetic diversity: A single species might show high diversity at the genetic level over its distributional range. The genetic variation shown by the medicinal plant Rauwolfia vomitoria growing in different Himalayan ranges might be in terms of the potency and concentration of the active chemical (reserpine) that the plant produces.
WHEREAS
Species diversity: The diversity at the species level. For example, the Western Ghats have a greater amphibian species diversity than the Eastern Ghats.