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A scientist finds two forests: Forest A has 10 species with equal populations; Forest B has 10 species, but one species makes up 80% of individuals. Which forest is more biodiverse and why?


AForest A, because it has greater species evenness
BForest B, because it has more individuals
CForest A, because it has higher species richness
DForest B, because it is more stable

Verified Answer :

Final answer:

Forest A is more biodiverse than Forest B due to its higher species evenness. While both forests contain the same number of species, Forest B has a dominant species that skews its evenness. Thus, Forest A's equal population distribution reflects greater biodiversity.


Explanation:

Understanding Biodiversity

Biodiversity can be evaluated using two main components: species richness and species evenness.

Forest A vs. Forest B

In this scenario:

  • Forest A has 10 species with equal populations, which means it has high species richness (the number of different species present) and high species evenness (how evenly the individuals are distributed among those species).
  • Forest B also has 10 species, but one species dominates with 80% of the individuals. This indicates low species evenness despite having the same number of species.

When comparing biodiversity, Forest A is more biodiverse than Forest B because it exhibits greater species evenness. A biodiversity index like the Simpson's diversity index would reflect this difference, as it not only accounts for the number of species but also considers the evenness of species in the population.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

OA. Forest A, because it has greater species evenness.


Learn more about biodiversity here:

https://brainly.com/question/40963443


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