Question

Explain the different types of biodiversity.

Hint:

Three levels: genetic (within species), species (among species), ecosystem (among habitats).

Answer 1

Step 1: Genetic diversity:
Genetic diversity refers to the variation in genes that exists within a single species — for example, the thousands of genetically distinct varieties of rice or mango grown in India.

Step 2: Species diversity:
Species diversity refers to the variety of different species found within a particular region or ecosystem — for instance, the greater number of amphibian species found in the Western Ghats compared to the eastern plains.

Step 3: Ecological/ecosystem diversity:
Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of habitats, biotic communities and ecological processes found across a larger geographic area — India, for example, shows far greater ecosystem diversity than a country like Norway because of its deserts, rainforests, mangroves, coral reefs and alpine meadows.

Final Answer:
The three levels of biodiversity are genetic diversity (within a species), species diversity (among species), and ecosystem diversity (among habitats/ecosystems).