Marine Biodiversity Flashcards
What are the three unique characteristics of marine biodiversity
- wide dispersal at sea
- the need for structural complexity
- critical nursery habitats
What are the three main types of diversity?
- Ecosystem Diversity
- Species Diversity
- Genetic Diversity
What are at least 3 of the ecosystems that make up Australia’s marine biomes?
- Estuaries
- Coastal Lakes
- Salt Marshes
- Mangroves
- Sea Grass
- Rocky Shores
- Temperate reefs
- Coral Reefs
- Lagoons
- Shelf
- deep Water
What is connectivity?
Connectivity is the extent to which populations are linked by the exchange of eggs, larval recruits, juveniles or adults as ecological linkages associated with adjacent and distant habitats over time
What is the importance of connectivity?
Connectivity is important for maintaining ecological resilience.
How does time and Tide relate to connectivity?
As the tide comes feeding patterns change. larval fish migrate between patches of prey, adults feed or escape predators, juveniles search for suitable estuary or sub-habitat, therefore, the tide allows for connectivity to occur.
How do adjacent and distant habitats relate to connectivity?
Adjacent and distant habitats are the ecological link between different ecosystems such as salt marshes and estuaries.
What are 6 factors that lead to a loss of biodiversity?
- Natural hazard
- Loss/fragmentation of Habitat
- Pollution
- Exploitation
- Introduced Species
- Disease
What is the formula for Simpson’s Diversity Index ?
SDI= 1-…
Define Ecosystem Disturbance
Ecosystem disturbance is a change in environmental conditions that causes a significant chance in an ecosystem.
Define Ecosystem Resilience
capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly
Ecosystem resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to resist and recover from a disturbance
Define Ecosystem recovery
The ability and process of an ecosystem to recover from degradation as a result of disturbance.
