Measuring Biodiversity

Generally, the closer the region is to the Equator, the greater the biodiversity.There are over 40,000 plant species in the Amazon rainforest whereas there are less than 3000 in Northern Canada.This is because the temperature is warm all year round and there is a lot of water available.Deserts or very cold areas have the least biodiversity. Fewer plants are adapted to grow in extreme conditions.Biodiversity can be measured at different levels:   species diversity   habitat diversity   genetic diversityThe number of species present in a particular area provides information about the biodiversity in that area. This is important in conservation.Before a major project is undertaken e.g. building a new road or creating a nature reserve, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is undertaken to predict the positive or negative effects of the project.