Biodiversity Basics I

Abstract

In “Basics of Biodiversity I" students explore different models to grasp the complexity of ecological diversity. In the activity, students simulate the collection of insects across different ecosystems to learn about the difference between species richness and evenness. Furthermore, students use data and implement mathematical models to calculate species diversity indexes.

The content objectives of this activity are: 1. Explain how biologists calculate biodiversity in the context of species richness and evenness.  2. The implementation of mathematical models as a metric to quantify biodiversity across distinct ecosystems. The process objectives in this activity are: 1. Student engagement in group work based in distinct participation roles. 2. Interpretation, manipulation, and synthesis of numerical data to examine the multiple components of biodiversity.

Level: Undergraduate

Setting: Classroom

Activity Type: Learning Cycle, Application

Discipline: General Biology

Course: Introduction to Biology, Ecology

Keywords: Ecology, Biodiversity, Species Richness, Species Evenness, Shannon’s Index