AS Conservation Flashcards
Afforestation
Planting trees to increase the area of forest.
Artificial insemination
A form of selective breeding where semen is collected from a chosen male to be inserted artificially into the chosen female to cause her to become pregnant. It also allows semen to be stored for later use or the transport of semen without having to bring the animals together.
Biodiversity
A measure of the variety and abundance of wildlife species. A common quantitative method of measuring biodiversity is Simpson’s Diversity Index.
Biological control
The control of pests using living organisms, usually predators or pathogens.
Biological corridor
A habitat that links other habitats so that animals can move between them.
Biomimetics
The study of living organisms so the knowledge gained can be applied to engineering or other technological developments.
Captive breeding and release programmes (CBR)
A method of boosting wild populations by keeping a breeding population in captivity. Some of the offspring produced may be released to join the wild population.
Centre of diversity
A geographical region with a high plant biodiversity, especially of the wild relatives of crop species.
Cloning
An artificial form of asexual reproduction.
Convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES)
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (of wild fauna and flora). CITES is an international agreement that controls the international trade in certain species of plants and animals and their products.
Crop wild relatives (CWRs)
These are wild plant varieties or species that are closely related to domesticated crops. CWRs may contain genetic characteristics that can be used in crop breeding programmes.
Cryopreservation
The storing of eggs, semen and embryos by freezing for future use.
CSS
Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Culling
Reducing the population of a species by selective killing.
Debt for nature swaps
These are agreements whereby an organisation agrees to pay part of a country’s debt in return for a commitment to a wildlife conservation programme.
Deforestation
The action of removing trees, resulting in a reduction in forest area.
Embryo transfer
The transfer of fertilised eggs or embryos from one female to another, such as from a rare species into a female of a closely related species that is more common. This enables more young to be produced than could be achieved through normal breeding. It is also used in livestock breeding.
Endemic
An endemic species is indigenous (‘native’) to a particular area and is not naturally found elsewhere. (It is also used in disease epidemiology to mean a disease that is normally present).
Eradication
The reduction of the population of a species by removal or culling.
Evolutionary, distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) species
These are species that are threatened with extinction and have few relatives that are genetically similar. This genetic uniqueness means they should be a high priority for conservation.
Exoskeleton
A skeleton on the outside of an organism, as found in insects and crustaceans.
Ex-situ conservation
The conservation of a species in an area which is not its natural habitat.
Flagship species
High-profile species that can be used to raise support for the conservation of their habitat and all the other species that live there.
Hard release
The release of animals from captivity where they are not provided with post-release support such as food.
In-situ conservation
The conservation of a species in its natural environment.
International union for conservation of nature (IUCN)
This is an organisation of 1300 government and non-governmental organisations that provides information on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Meetings every four years drive their global agenda and have produced major agreements such as CITES and the Ramsar convention.
International whaling commission (IWC)
The IWC is an international organisation which aims to ensure the sustainable exploitation of whales.
Keystone species
A species that has much more important ecological functions within their ecosystem than their abundance might suggest. Such roles may include the control of the populations of other species, the provision of food or species that control structural habitat features, such as beavers creating dams.
Peat bog
A wetland area with an accumulation of dead plant material, especially moss.
Range of tolerance
The range of conditions within which a species can survive.
Red list
The categorisation of species (by the IUCN) according to their vulnerability to extinction, eg, Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near threatened, Least concern, Data-deficient
Red list priority species
EDGE, Flagship, Endemic, Keystone
Re-wilding
The process of creating habitats that are similar to the conditions present before the natural habitat was changed by human actions.
Seed bank
A store of the seeds of wild plants or plants of particular importance to humans, eg CWRs.
Soft release
The release of animals from captivity where they are provided with post-release support such as food.
Vavilov centre
An area of the world, identified by the Russian zoologist Nikolai Vavilov, where crop plants were first domesticated and where wild varieties are still found.
Vegetative propagation
Asexual reproduction in plants
Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)
A UK law that provides protection for many wildlife species and designated protected areas such as SSSIs. Most birds and many mammals are protected.
