Unit 2 Test Insurance: 2.1 - 2.3 Flashcards
Ecosystem Diversity
the number of different habitats
Species Diversity
the number of different species & evenness of population sizes
Genetic Diversity
how different the genes are of individuals in populations
Describe how genetic diversity relates to environmental disruptions
The greater genetic diversity in populations, the greater the resilience in these populations after environmental disruptions like drought, disease, or famine.
What is species richness?
The total number of different species
Describe how species richness relates to ecosystem resilience
A greater species richness demonstrates a greater diversity in an ecosystem, thus there are more possibilities of species surviving through environmental stress and being able to return to original conditions.
Explain how habitat loss impacts generalist and specialist species differently
Losing habitats means that organisms have to adapt to be able to find new homes and resources for survival. Generalist species are more adaptable and can adjust themselves to new environments after losing their habitat. However, specialist species have very specific niches and needs that cannot adapt to differing environments, thus losing their habitats could lead to a decline in their numbers.
Identify the four categories of ecosystem services
Supporting, Provisional, Regulating, Cultural
Describe the regulating system and provide an example.
The regulating system consists of processes that regulate or moderate natural conditions, like trees that regulate co2 levels.
Describe the provisional system and provide an example.
The provisional system consists of goods or products that are directly given to humans for sale/use by ecosystems, like fruit trees that produce apples for humans to consume.
Describe the cultural system and provide an example.
The cultural system consists of the benefits/revenue/profit received from the pleasant views recreational activities, or scientific discoveries. An example is the money gained from charging entry at national parks.
Describe the supporting system and provide an example.
The supporting system consists of the processes that ecosystems do more easily and cheaper than when humans do it. An example is the pollination of vegetation by bees.
Describe how an anthropogenic activity could disrupt the supporting system.
Using pesticides in farms could kill off the bee populations which pollinate crops.
Describe how an anthropogenic activity could disrupt the cultural system.
Pollution could destroy the revenue made from recreational activities.
Describe how an anthropogenic activity could disrupt the regulating system.
Deforestation
