Question

Diversity of organism which share the same community/habitat and also called as local diversity, is referred to as

• A. Beta diversity
• B. Gamma diversity
• C. Alpha diversity
• D. Genetic diversity

Hint:

Use an analogy to remember the diversity scales: Alpha is the diversity in your local park. Beta is the difference in species between your park and a nearby forest. Gamma is the total diversity in your entire city or state.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the specific term used in ecology to describe the biodiversity within a single, local habitat or community.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Ecologists often measure biodiversity at three different scales:
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Alpha diversity ($\alpha$-diversity): This refers to the diversity of species within a particular ecosystem or community. It is a measure of local diversity.} \\ \bullet & \text{Beta diversity ($\beta$-diversity): This is the measure of biodiversity which works by comparing the species diversity between two or more ecosystems. It represents the change in species composition along an environmental gradient.} \\ \bullet & \text{Gamma diversity ($\gamma$-diversity): This refers to the total species diversity over a large geographical area or region, which comprises several ecosystems.} \\ \end{array}\] Genetic diversity refers to the variation of genes within a single species.

Step 4: Final Answer:
Since the question describes diversity within the same community/habitat (local diversity), the correct term is Alpha diversity.