Chapter 4 Flashcards
Habitat Loss
What does I=PAT stand for?
Impact = population x affluence x technology
Define Habitat
every species in nature requires a habitat / it is a physical / biological environment
Define ecosystem
community + physical environment (abiotic)
Define degradation
the diminishment of quality
Define loss
the disappearance or destruction
Define habitat degradation
changes to habitat that reduce population viability/fitness
Define habitat loss
quality is so low species can no longer exist over time
define ecosystem degradation
habitat quality lowered for many species
define ecosystem loss
loss of many species (e.g., deforestation, wetlands draining)
What forests take up half of Earth’s species but little land surface
Tropical forests
What leads to deforestation
conversion to agriculture, shifting cultivation, plantation farming
consequences of deforestation
many forest species are threatened with extinction, contribute more CO2 into the atmosphere, and affect local and perhaps global climate
What other habitats are threatened from deforestation
Freshwater, marine coastal, mangrove forests, and coral reefs
What is fragmentation
breaking natural landscapes into small parcels
