Conservation Ecology Flashcards
human-driven process in which a natural habitat is altered in a way that prevents it from supporting the species that were originally present
Habitat destruction
the conversion of forested areas to nonforested land, is a prime cause of the extinction of species
Deforestation
the practice in which humans harvest a particular species at a rate that is unsustainable, based on the species’ natural rate of mortality and capacity for reproduction
Overexploitation
species moved by humans from their native habitat to another location
Introduced species
species that spread naturally and impact native species; can reproduce rapidly, may not have natural enemies in their new habitat, may compete aggressively for resources
Invasive species
an agent that causes disease symptoms in its host. Some pathogens become invasive species when moved to a new geographical location
Pathogen
the genetic diversity of species, the variety of species, and the different ecosystems they form
Biodiversity
the amount of genetic variation occurring within and between populations
Genetic diversity
the number and relative abundance of species in a community
Species diversity
species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range
Endangered species
species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future
Threatened species
the diversity of structure and function within an ecosystem
Ecosystem diversity
suggests that species-rich communities are more stable than those with fewer species
Diversity-Stability Hypothesis
ecosystem function increases rapidly at fairly low levels of species richness, but then levels off because most additional species are functionally redundant
Redundancy Hypothesis
proposes that ecosystem function rises dramatically as species richness approaches its natural level
Keystone Hypothesis
suggests that although ecosystem function can change as the number of species increases or decreases, the amount and direction of change are unpredictable
Idiosyncratic Hypothesis
the full or partial repair or replacement of biological habitats and/or their populations that have been degraded or destroyed
Habitat Restoration
countries with at least 5,000 endemic plant species
Megadiversity countries
species that are found only in a particular region
Endemic
regions that are biologically diverse and under threat of destruction
Biodiversity hot spots
thin strips of habitat that permit the movement of species between preserved patches
Movement corridors
the special physical conditions that exist at the boundaries, or edges, of ecosystems
Edge effects
species whose status provides information on the overall health of an ecosystem
Indicator species
species whose habitat requirements are so large that protecting them would protect many other species existing in the same habitat
Umbrella species
a single large or instantly recognizable species
Flagship species
species within a community that have a role out of proportion to their abundance or biomass
Keystone species
