Assignment: Analyzing Diversity

Your book lists four different types of diversity: species diversity, genetic diversity, ecological diversity, and functional diversity. Pick one type of diversity and create a plan to assess it in your backyard or a local outdoor area. Write a paper addressing the following:

1. Describe your location. Does it receive a lot of rain? What time of year is it? Give a general description of the kinds of species found here.
2. Discuss the type of diversity you would like to assess in the area and why. Make a hypothesis about the diversity you would expect to find.
3. Create your plan.

1. What data would you need to assess that kind of diversity? How could you collect that data?
2. Create a hypothetical table of the data you might find in your area.
3. What are different ways you could analyze that data?
4. Discuss the importance of diversity for a healthy ecosystem.
5. What impact do you think humans have on diversity in this natural area?

Requirements:

• Your written paper should be three to four pages in length, not counting the title and reference pages, which you must include.
• You need to cite at least three sources for this assignment, outside of the textbook.
• Your paper must be formatted according to APA CITATIONS.