Ch. 11 Key Terms Flashcards
precautionary principle
The idea that one should not undertake a new action until the ramifications of that action are well understood.
biotechnology
The material application of biological science to create products derived from organisms. the creation of transgenic organisms is on type of biotechnology.
community-supported agriculture
A system in which consumers pay farmers in advance for a share of their yield, usually in the form of weekly deliveries of produce.
farmers market
A market at which local farmers and food producers sell fresh locally grown items.
life-cycle analysis
A quantitative analysis of inputs across the entire life cycle of a product-from its origins, through its production, transportation, sale, and use, and finally its disposal-in an attempt to judge the sustainability of the process and make it more ecologically efficient
poaching
The illegal killing of wildlife, usually for meat or body part.
genetic diversity
A measurement of differences in DNA composition among individuals within a given species.
ecosystem diversity
The number and variety of ecosystems in a particular area. on way to express biodiversity. related concepts consider the geographic arrangements of habitats, communities, or ecosystems at the landscape level
species diversity
The number and variety of species in the world or in a particular region
red list
An updated list of species facing unusually high risks of extinction. This list in maintained by the World Conservation Union
species
A population or group of populations of organisms were member share certain characteristics and can breed freely.
biodiversity biological diversity
The variety of life across all levels of biological organization, including the diversity of species, their genes, their populations, and their communities
recombinant DNA
DNA that has been patched together from the DNA of multiple organisms in an attempt to produce desirable traits such as rapid growth, disease and pest resistance.
habitat fragmentation
The process by which an expanse of natural habitat becomes broken up into discontinuous fragments, often as a result of farming, road building, and other types of human development and land use
biophilia
An inherent love for and fascination with nature and an instinctive desire people have to affiliate with other living things
