Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
What does species refer to?
A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
What is species richness?
The number of different species represented in a given community.
What is evenness in ecology?
A measure of how similar the abundances of different species are in a community.
What is deforestation?
The clearing or thinning of forests by humans.
What is conservation?
The act of preserving, guarding, or protecting; wise use.
What does overfishing mean?
Catching fish faster than they can reproduce.
What is Simpson’s index?
A measure of diversity that takes into account the number of species and the relative abundance of each species.
What is a quadrat?
A square or rectangular plot used for sampling in ecological studies.
What is a random number generator?
A device or algorithm that produces a sequence of numbers that cannot be reasonably predicted.
What is a kick sample?
A method of collecting samples from a stream by disturbing the substrate.
What does diversity mean in ecology?
The variety of different species within a given ecosystem.
What is a biotic factor?
A living organism that shapes its environment (plant).
What is an abiotic factor?
Non-living part of the ecosystem that shapes its environment (light intensity)
