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Conservation Biology exam Flashcards

Conservation Biology exam
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  • Conservation Biology
    The ongoing effort to preserve Earth's species, habitats, and ecosystems to maintain biodiversity.
  • Biodiversity
    The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.
  • Genetic Diversity
    The total genetic information contained in the individuals of a species, including variation within and between populations.
  • Species Diversity
    A measure of both species richness (number of species) and relative abundance (numbers of different species) in a community.
  • Endemic Species
    Species that are unique to a specific geographic location and found nowhere else in the world.
  • Barcoding
    A taxonomic method that uses genetic markers to determine if an organism belongs to a particular species.
  • Ecosystem Diversity
    Variation in ecosystems over the planet and between ecosystems in a region.
  • Ecosystem Services
    The ways in which humans benefit from ecosystems, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.
  • Biodiversity Hotspots
    Biogeographic regions that are rich in biodiversity and threatened with destruction.
  • Introduced Species
    Species living outside their natural range due to human activity, either intentionally or accidentally.
  • Invasive Species
    Non-native species that spread in a new environment and compete with local flora and fauna.
  • Overexploitation
    The harvesting of a renewable resource to the point where there are diminishing returns.
  • Habitat Destruction
    When habitats are rendered unable to support the species that are currently present.
  • Habitat Fragmentation
    The process where a large, continuous habitat is divided into smaller, isolated sections.
  • Edge Effects
    Changes in population or community structures that occur at the boundary of two habitats.
  • Pollution
    The introduction of contaminants into the natural environment, surpassing the critical load of nutrients.
  • Climate Change
    Long-term changes in the statistical distribution of weather patterns, contributing to global warming.
  • Mass Extinctions
    Widespread rapid decreases in Earth's biodiversity, with five major events in the past.
  • Holocene Extinction
    The ongoing sixth mass extinction, primarily due to human activity.
  • Extinction Vortex
    A downward spiral of smaller and smaller population size, leading to extinction.
  • Minimum Viable Population
    The smallest population size that can exist without facing extinction.
  • Effective Population Size
    The number of members of a population that contribute to the offspring of the next generation.
  • Species-Area Relationship
    A relationship showing that larger areas tend to have more species.
  • Sustainability
    The ability to maintain ecological processes, biodiversity, and productivity over time.
  • Seed Banks
    Long-term storage facilities for seeds to preserve genetic diversity of plants.
  • Ex Situ Conservation
    The preservation of endangered species outside their natural habitats, such as in zoos.
  • Wildlife Corridors
    Pathways that connect fragmented habitats, allowing species to move and maintain genetic diversity.
  • Assisted Migration
    The deliberate movement of species to a different habitat to help them survive.