Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
The variability among living organisms from all sources and the ecological complexes of which they are part; includes diversity within and among species and ecosystems
What must a biodiversity hotspot have?
At least 1500 vascular plants as endemics
30% of less of its original natural vegetation
Why do we need to conserve biodiversity?
Intrinsic value
Spiritual, medicinal value
Recreational value
Functional value
Econonic value
Serendipitous value
What is ecosystem functioning?
The properties or processes of ecosystems or habitats
What are some potential mechanisms linking biodiversity and ecosystem function?
Complementarity
-increased coverage of available niche-space
Facilitation
-increased performance with other species
Sampling effect
-increased change of having great species
What are ecosystem services?
Functions provided by nature that improve and sustain human wellbeing
What is provision?
The delivery/production of products that we need:
-food
-energy
-water
-minerals
-medical compounds
What is regulating?
Services provided that regulate our environment
-decomposition
-water purification
-CO2 sequestration
-pest control
-flood prevention
What is supporting?
The provision of ecosystem processes needed to support life and all other ecosystem services
-primary production
-nutrient cycling
-soil formation
What are non-material benefits of ecosystem services?
Enrich the human experience
-spiritual and religious
-psychological
-recreation
-aesthetic
-heritage
What is capital?
Goods and services of economic value; resources that can be used to produce goods
What is natural capital?
The summation of all the ecosystem services on Earth, available to us for free
What is ecosystem valuation?
The assignment of economic value to an ecosystem or ecosystem services
Often represent:
-the monetary cost of replacing the ecosystem service
-the monetary value of the capital gained from the resource
What is the value of timber produced?
Pulp, saw-logs, veneer
6.5B timber worth over 20 years
What is the tragedy of the commons?
An economic theory involving a shared resource in which each individual acts independent according to their own best interest, contrary to the common good of all users, by depleting or spoiling a resource
