Biodiversity — common mistakes

Examiners love questions linking endemism to conservation. Emphasise that endemic species are disproportionately affected by habitat loss and thus require urgent, targeted conservation efforts to prevent global extinction.

In Cambridge 9700 Biology, the three main types of biodiversity are species diversity (variety of species), genetic diversity (variety of genes within a species), and ecosystem diversity (variety of habitats and ecological processes). You can learn more about these in our free revision course and practice with past papers on this topic.

Simpson's Index of Diversity (D) is calculated using the formula D = 1 - Σ(n/N)², where 'n' is the number of individuals of a particular species and 'N' is the total number of individuals of all species. A value closer to 1 indicates higher diversity.

Biodiversity hotspots are critically important for conservation because they harbour a vast number of unique, endemic species that are under severe threat from habitat loss. By focusing conservation efforts on these relatively small areas, a significant portion of the world's biodiversity can be protected efficiently, given limited resources.

Endemism refers to species found exclusively in a particular geographical area. It significantly relates to biodiversity as these unique species contribute greatly to regional and global diversity. For conservation, endemic species are high-priority as their restricted range makes them extremely vulnerable; their loss would mean global extinction, making targeted protection essential.