Threats to Biodiversity 3.8

Question 1

What is overexploitation

Answer 1

Unsustainable excessive use of resources

Question 2

What is the bottleneck effect

Answer 2

Genetic species may be reduced if many members of a species are removed from a population, perhaps due to a disaster. The remaining small population may not have enough genetic variation to enable the population to respond to environmental change

Question 3

What is habitat fragmentation

Answer 3

Occurs when habitats are destroyed and small islands of habitat remain

Question 4

What are characteristics of habitat fragmentation

Answer 4

Lower species diversity; edges of habitat fragments can degrade resulting in increased competition; consequent decrease in biodiversity

Question 5

What are habitat corridors

Answer 5

Join habitat fragments together which allows movement between fragments and access to food and mates

Question 6

What are introduced, naturalised and invasive species

Answer 6

Not originally part of our own flora and fauna, these species can impact on our native species

Question 7

What is an introduced species

Answer 7

Humans have moved species deliberately or accidentally to new geographical locations

Question 8

What is a naturalised species

Answer 8

The introduced species which becomes established within the wild communities

Question 9

What is an invasive species

Answer 9

Some naturalised species can spread rapidly reducing species biodiversity as they eliminate natural species