Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life on Earth, and this variety ensures the productivity of an ecosystem. Even though the tundra is considered to be an environment with low biodiversity due to its harsh conditions, biodiversity plays a vital role in sustaining this environment and the species that inhabit it.
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity is defined as the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. Genetic diversity is vital as it allows species to survive and adapt to their environment. Many factors may cause the habitat of a species to undergo change, and in the case of the tundra, it is human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, car pollution etc. When habitats undergo change, the population may have to adapt to survive. The ability of the population to adapt to the changing environment will determine their ability to survive in the new environmental conditions. Genetic variation is what allows species to persist over evolutionary time through changing environments. An example from the tundra environment would be lichen. Human activities have caused lichen to become toxic and create diseases in the species that eat them such as the caribou. With genetic variation, there is a higher likelihood that some caribou would be resistant to the diseases, and thus be able to survive in their environment. Further, genetic variation helps remove unfavourable traits from a species. For example, a weak sense of smell is considered to be an unfavourable trait among caribou. In a genetically diverse population, caribou would have more opportunity to breed with those with a stronger sense of smell and pass this favourable trait onto their offspring. This trait would allow them to smell lichen under deep snow, increasing their ability to survive in their environment
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Species and Ecosystem diversity
Species diversity is defined as the number and abundance of different species in an ecosystem. Each species plays a role in the ecosystem and species diversity is crucial for an ecosystem's health. If a species were to disappear, several functions within the system could not be carried out and the entire ecosystem would start to unravel. Some different types of relationships formed between species in the tundra include: mutualism, commensalism and parasitism. Mutualism, where both species benefit from one another, occurs between the fungus and green alga which make up lichen. The alga uses photosynthesis which feeds the fungus and the fungus helps provide protection to the alga by retaining water and absorbing minerals. Commensalism, which is when one species receives a benefit and the other does not, occurs between the Caribou and Arctic Fox in the tundra ecosystem. The Arctic Fox follows the Caribou to where it digs deep holes in search of food. Once the Caribou finishes consuming its food, the Arctic fox returns to the hole and digs deeper to find more food. These are two examples of relationships formed between different species which increase the species' chance survival. The more species that are found in an ecosystem, the more the species can benefit from one another and perform the vital functions needed to sustain that ecosystem.
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