# Module 14: Biodiversity

<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mod 14: Biodiversity: (see also chapter 7 in Froggie book)</span>

- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Species: a particular type of organism</span>
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Population: a group of individuals of a given species, at one place and time</span>
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Evolution: inherited changes in the population of organisms over time</span>
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Natural Selection: inherited characteristics that enhance survival and reproduction</span>
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Adaptation: better adapted individuals survive to pass on their traits</span>
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Phylogeny: the branching pattern of evolutionary relationships</span>

  
  
<div class="sandbox" id="bkmrk--4"><div id="bkmrk--5"><div id="bkmrk--6"><div><div class="container"><div class="frontside"><div class="iframe">![](http://physics.hpa.edu/groups/apenvironmentalscience/weblog/8d560/images/__thumbs__/2bd73.png)</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><span id="bkmrk-species-diversity%3A%C2%A0" style="font-weight: bold;">Species diversity: </span>richness vs. evenness:<div id="bkmrk-species-richness%C2%A0%3D-n">

- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Species Richness</span> = number of species in an area
- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Species Evenness</span> = balanced relative proportions

</div><div id="bkmrk-screen-shot-2022-10-"><figure>![Screen Shot 2022-10-16 at 12.02.58 PM.png](https://bookstack.kamuela.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/sorqUOayDnJGI6rs-screen-shot-2022-10-16-at-12-02-58-pm-f60z4qis.png)<figcaption>Screen Shot 2022-10-16 at 12.02.58 PM.png</figcaption></figure>  
Measuring species diversity (lab):</div><div id="bkmrk-screen-shot-2022-10--1"><figure>![Screen Shot 2022-10-16 at 12.09.43 PM.png](https://bookstack.kamuela.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/AOXPC3VnGOqHFxTf-screen-shot-2022-10-16-at-12-09-43-pm-zit6svjv.png)<figcaption>Screen Shot 2022-10-16 at 12.09.43 PM.png</figcaption></figure>  
<span>**Lab**: Calculating Shannon's index, using baked goldfish (the cheddar kind, not the ones that stink)

1. wash your hands
2. pour out a random number of different colored goldfish on your plate (your "pond")
3. determine the number of distinct populations by color, using chopsticks
4. determine the proportion for each population (e.g. 5 red ones out of 20 total would be 5/20 or 0.25)
5. calculate Shannon's index (H) for this "pond"
6. repeat the experiment with a very low biodiversity, calculate H
7. repeat with a very high biodiversity, calculate H
8. eat the contents of your "pond", representing a catastrophic event

**Questions**:

1. what is the value of biodiversity in any community?
2. what are the benefits and drawbacks of a low biodiversity?
3. how does this play into competition (next chapter)
4. why is it important to determine the number of "distinct populations"?
5. what is the impact of this on a human population, e.g. the census?

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