Chapter 56: Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Loss

Question 1

biological augmentation

Answer 1

the use of organisms to add missing nutrients/materials to an ecosystem

Question 2

bioremediation

Answer 2

use of organisms to clean up pollutants

Question 3

hyperaccumulators

Answer 3

plants that naturally accumulate heavy metals in their bodies, promote phytomining

Question 4

conservation biology goals

Answer 4

conserve biodiversity and mitigate negative effects of humans on ecosystems

Question 5

anthropogenic ecosystem modification

Answer 5

human caused modifications, causing increased extinction rates

Question 6

ecosystem services

Answer 6

clean, detoxify waste, pollinate crops; would cost $$ to artificially create these services

Question 7

threats to biodiversity

Answer 7

habitat loss and destruction, introduced/exotic species, overexploitation, global change

Question 8

habitat loss and destruction

Answer 8

biggest threat to biodiversity; fragmentation of habitats and populations. caused 73% of known extinctions

Question 9

introduced/exotic species

Answer 9

increase from global travel, non-native species alter communities and ecosystems

Question 10

overexploitation

Answer 10

harvested at rates faster than they can reproduce

Question 11

global change

Answer 11

change in climate and atmospheric chemistry

Question 12

global human population size

Answer 12

positive growth, but no longer exponential

Question 13

ecological footprint

Answer 13

measure of human impact on the environment/energy consumption

Question 14

extinction of species

Answer 14

loss of genetic diversity, species diversity, and community/ecosystem diversity

Question 15

preservation of species genetic diversity

Answer 15

necessary for future adaptation to changing environment

Question 16

community and ecosystem diversity

Answer 16

fates of species are interconnected; protecting habitats with help protect species

Question 17

extinction vortex

Answer 17

small populations are extremely vulnerable; creates an extinction vortex that results in even smaller populations

Question 18

minimum viable population (MVP)

Answer 18

the lowest N where a population can sustain its numbers

Question 19

effective population size

Answer 19

population size adjusted for breeding potential

Question 20

protecting species

Answer 20

more efficient to focus on landscapes and habitats, which protects multiple species, than to focus on just one species

Question 21

biodiversity hotspots

Answer 21

smaller areas with lots of diversity; areas to focus on protecting

Question 22

habitat fragmentation

Answer 22

increased fragmentation means a smaller area and increased edges that create boundaries that can be hard to cross

Question 23

movement corridors

Answer 23

connect habitats; allows for more mixing of populations and more genetic diversity

Question 24

sustainable development

Answer 24

long term planning that preserves biodiversity while developing

Question 25

zoned reserves

Answer 25

protected land surrounded by buffers to protect native species

Question 26

urban ecology

Answer 26

considers close relationships of humans and other organisms

Question 27

habitat degradation and loss

Answer 27

caused by agriculture, natural resource extraction, urbanization and infrastructure development, war and violent conflict, and pollution