why is species richness important

If the number of individuals within a species is fairly constant throughout the community it has a high evenness. Estimating species richness (i.e., the actual number of species present in a given area) is a basic objective of many field studies carried out in community ecology and is also of crucial concern when dealing with the conservation and management of biodiversity. To understand why biodiversity is important, we have to think like biologists. The role that a species plays in its ecosystem is known as itsThe Great Barrier Reef of Australia is the world’s largest coral reef with an area of 349,000KmThe world is facing an accelerated rate of extinction of species largely due to human activities. Environments that can support large numbers of species, such as tropical areas, tend to have greater species richness.The Encyclopedia of Earth defines species evenness as “the variation in the abundance of individuals per species within a community.” If a community has a large disparity between the number of individuals within each species it has low evenness. Species richness has a saturating influence, whereas effects of E and D are linear and exponential, respectively. Why is species richness more important than abundance? Unlike nonscientists, biologists don't think of biodiversity strictly in terms of the number of species found on Earth. Species diversity is defined as the number of different species present in an ecosystem and relative abundance of each of those species. It is important to conserve diversity because once extinct we can not get it back.

There are mainly 4 causes of loss of diversity known as The Evil Quartet which are – Alien species invasions, Habitat Loss and Fragmentation, Overexploitation, and co-extinctions.Frequently Asked Questions on What is Species Diversity?

If an invasive species forces out too many other species, the species diversity will drop, which could cause an ecosystem to function inefficiently or fail.Robert Balun has been writing both creatively and academically for more than eight years. Peter Fedor, Martina Zvaríková, in Encyclopedia of Ecology (Second Edition), 2019. If an ecosystem has poor species diversity, it may not function properly or efficiently. More species richness will contribute to increase in biodiversity also which is an important aspect biodiversity conservation. So to make a more efficient, productive and sustainable ecosystem, it is important to maintain high species diversity.Each species plays an important role in an ecosystem.

I’d like to dedicate this blog to explaining what they mean, and why each of them are equally important in sustaining the ecosystems on Earth.

If an ecosystem has poor species diversity, it may not function properly or efficiently. A diverse species assemblage also contributes to ecosystem diversity.Species richness is the number of different species an ecosystem. While they sound quite similar (and mistakenly used interchangeably), they are three different concepts. The Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health states that “these species grow and reproduce rapidly, causing major disturbances to the areas in which they are present.” Invasive species outcompete other species for food and habitat. If community B has ten individuals divided between two species, with species 1 having four individuals and species 2 having six, then community B has high evenness and higher species diversity. The most species-rich environments are tropical rainforests, coral reefs and ocean bottom zone.Species richness increases with increasing explored area.In a healthy ecosystem, diverse and balanced number of species exist to maintain the balance of an ecosystem.

Since the indigenous species can’t compete, they either are forced to leave the ecosystem or die out. Species can be broadly divided into generalist and specialist species. Species richness makes an ecosystem able to respond to any catastrophe; ... Each species plays an important role in an ecosystem. The study “increased the [species] richness…such that the feeding success of individuals [was] enhanced.” A greater species richness and diversity may cause ecosystems to function more efficiently and productively by making more resources available for other species within the ecosystem.Keystone species play an important role, both in maintaining species diversity and the health of an ecosystem. According to the Encyclopedia of Earth, species diversity is a measurement of an ecosystem’s species richness and species evenness. The four major causes of loss of diversity are known as Each species has an important role to play in an ecosystem. Species richness. A diverse species assemblage also contributes to ecosystem diversity.