Conservation, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Ecology

Biological extinction

When a species is no longer found anywhere on Earth;

Ecological (functional) extinction

When a species' population is too small to fulfill its ecological role;

Allee effect

Decline in individual fitness at low population sizes;

Local extinction

When a species disappears from a particular area;

Deterministic extinction

Extinction forecast unless threats are halted;

Extinct in the wild

Species survive only in captivity;

In situ conservation

Protection within natural habitats;

Ex situ conservation

Protection outside natural habitats (e.g., zoos);

Conservation-conscious consumer

Chooses products linked to conservation;

Environmental organization

Groups advocating biodiversity protection;

Biodiversity hotspot

Region with exceptional species richness under threat;

Protected area

Legal land/water tract set aside for conservation;

Wildlife corridor

Habitat link allowing safe species movement;

Restoration ecology

Science of repairing degraded ecosystems;

Seed bank

Facility storing seeds for future restoration;

Captive breeding

Breeding endangered species in controlled settings;

Metapopulation

Group of spatially separated populations connected by dispersal;

Population viability analysis

Model predicting a population's extinction risk;

Reintroduction

Releasing captive-bred individuals back into the wild;

IUCN Red List

Global inventory categorizing species' extinction risk;

Habitat loss

Conversion of natural areas to unusable land;

Habitat removal

Complete clearing of ecosystems;

Habitat fragmentation

Breaking habitat into isolated patches;

Environmental pollution

Contaminants degrading habitats;

Desertification

Land degradation turning fertile areas into deserts;

Disease impacts

Pathogens reducing habitat suitability;

Marine habitat loss

Decline of aquatic ecosystems (e.g., coral reefs);

Invasive species

Non-native species disrupting habitats;

Climate-driven habitat loss

Temperature/moisture shifts making areas unsuitable;

Urbanization

Expansion of cities into natural areas;

Logging

Tree removal for timber reducing forest cover;

Mining

Extraction activities that destroy surface habitats;

Wetland drainage

Removing water to convert land for other uses;

Coral bleaching

Loss of symbiotic algae killing reefs;

Edge effects

Environmental changes at habitat boundaries;

Road development

New roads fragment and degrade ecosystems;

Overgrazing

Excessive livestock eating vegetation and causing erosion;

Fire suppression

Preventing natural fires, leading to habitat imbalance;

Sea-level rise

Inundation of coastal habitats by rising seas;

Recycling

Processing used materials into new products;

EPA waste hierarchy

Preferred order: reduce → reuse → recycle → recovery → disposal;

Source reduction

Minimizing waste creation;

Reuse

Using items multiple times before disposal;

Infinite lives (aluminum/glass)

Materials recyclable without quality loss;

Finite lives (paper)

Paper fibers weaken after several recycles;

Contamination

Non-recyclable residue spoiling a recycling batch;

Plastic film

Thin plastics often excluded from curbside programs;

Compostable waste

Organic matter suitable for composting;

Loose recyclables

Items placed loose for sorting efficiency;

Landfill

Engineered sites for waste burial;

Waste-to-energy

Converting waste into heat or electricity;

E-waste

Discarded electronics requiring special handling;

Municipal solid waste

Everyday trash generated by households;

Anaerobic digestion

Biological process turning organics into biogas;

Single-stream recycling

All recyclables collected together;

Drop-off center

Designated site where users bring recyclables;

Buy-back center

Facility paying users for recyclable materials;

Extended producer responsibility

Policy making producers responsible for product end-of-life;

Life-cycle assessment

Analysis of environmental impacts across a product's life;

Ecosystem ecology

Study of organism-environment interactions;

Nutrient cycle

Movement of elements through biotic and abiotic pools;

Carbon sink

Reservoir absorbing more CO₂ than it emits;

Carbon source

Process releasing more CO₂ than it absorbs;

Secondary succession

Recovery sequence after disturbance;

Primary forest

Undisturbed old-growth forest;

Invasive insect (adelgid)

Non-native pest killing native trees;

Litter decomposition rate

Speed at which organic debris breaks down;

Soil microbial community

Bacteria and fungi driving decomposition;

Soil respiration

CO₂ release from soil organisms and roots;

Aboveground biomass

Organic matter in stems and leaves;

Belowground biomass

Plant roots and soil organic matter;

Primary productivity

Rate of biomass production by photosynthesis;

Net primary productivity

Plant growth after accounting for respiration;

Trophic pyramid

Graphical representation of energy flow by trophic level;

Food web

Complex network of feeding relationships;

Energy flow

Transfer of energy through an ecosystem;

Keystone species

Organism with large ecosystem impact relative to its abundance;

Ecological niche

Role and position a species has in its environment;

Ecosystem services

Benefits humans derive from ecosystems;

Greenhouse gases

Atmospheric gases trapping thermal radiation;

Greenhouse effect

Warming caused by GHG absorption of infrared;

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Major GHG from burning fossil fuels;

Methane (CH₄)

Potent GHG from agriculture and fossil sources;

Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

GHG from fertilizers and industry;

ppm (parts per million)

Unit for GHG concentration measurements;

ppb (parts per billion)

Unit for trace gas concentrations;

Global warming potential

Heat-trapping ability relative to CO₂;

CO₂-equivalent

Amount of CO₂ with equal warming impact;

Tipping point

Threshold beyond which climate change accelerates;

Solar radiation

Energy from the Sun driving Earth's climate;

Albedo

Reflectivity of a surface to incoming solar energy;

Radiative forcing

Change in energy balance caused by GHGs or other factors;

Feedback loop

Process that amplifies or dampens climate responses;

Water-vapor feedback

Increase in atmospheric moisture amplifying warming;

Ice-albedo feedback

Melting ice reduces reflectivity, causing more warming;

Infrared radiation

Long-wave energy emitted by Earth's surface;

Stratospheric ozone

Ozone layer affecting UV and heat balance;

Climate model

Computational tool simulating climate processes;

Paleo-climate data

Proxy records (ice cores, tree rings) of past climates;

Environmental impact

Effects of climate change on natural systems;