Conservation of Biodiversity Lecture Flashcards

This flashcard set covers the definition and levels of biodiversity, anthropogenic causes of extinction, specific case studies like the Giant Moa and Aral Sea, and methods of conservation.

Biodiversity

The total variety of life on Earth, categorized into $3$ levels: ecosystem, species, and genetic diversity.

Ecosystem diversity

The variety of ecosystems within a region or across the globe, including physical features and the specific organisms that inhabit them.

Species diversity

The variety or number of species present in a given ecosystem.

Species richness

The total number of species found within a specific area.

Species evenness

The relative abundance of an organism amongst several different species in an area.

Genetic diversity

The variation of genes within populations of a species, which increases resistance to diseases and helps organisms adapt to environmental changes.

Taxonomy

The science of naming and classifying organisms through pattern recognition.

Anthropogenic species extinction

The loss of species caused by human activities and usage, such as agricultural expansion, urbanization, and overexploitation.

Giant Moa

A flightless New Zealand bird that went extinct due to overhunting, which led to the disruption of forest regeneration.

Caribbean monk

A marine organism that maintained balance in marine food webs, which went extinct due to overhunting and the destruction of habitats.

Passenger pigeon

A species that played a critical role in forest dynamics and seed dispersal, driven to extinction by mass hunting and deforestation.

Dipterocare forest

A rich and biodiverse rainforest belonging to the diperocarpaceae family, which has suffered losses due to agricultural expansion and infrastructure development.

Aral Sea

A body of water that supported diverse aquatic life for fishing industries, lost due to water diversion and salinization.

IPBES

The Intergovernmental science policy platform on biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which provides evidence for biodiversity crises through peer-reviewed and methodology-checked surveys.

In situ conservation

The on-site conservation of species in their natural habitat, including management of nature reserves and rewilding damaged ecosystems.

Ex situ conservation

The exterior site conservation of species, involving facilities such as zoos and botanic gardens.

EDGE species

Evolutionary Distinct Globally endangered species, used to prioritize which species should be conserved based on ethical, environmental, and cultural implications.