Outline two further levels at which biodiversity can be measured.
Explain why scientists use databases and computers to calculate the mean number of nucleotide differences per site.
Table 2.1 presents the mean number of nucleotide differences per site for several species.
State the genus of the species with the greatest genetic variation.
State the number of kingdoms of organisms shown in Table 2.1.
Genetic variation is regarded as important in species conservation. It is assumed that low genetic variation reduces the probability that a species will survive in the long term.
Give reasons for why low genetic variation may lower the long-term survival of a species.
Question 2(d) says that 'low genetic variation is assumed to decrease the chance of the long-term survival of a species'. Predict how genetic variation and conservation status would be related if this assumption is correct.
Assess whether the data in Fig. 2.2 support the prediction you made in 2(d)(ii).