Studied by 1826 peopleBiodiversity
The variability among species, between species, and of ecosystems
Genetic diversity
It describes the range of all genetic traits, both expressed and recessive, that make up the gene pool for a particular species
Species diversity
It is the number of different species that inhabit a specific area
Ecosystem diversity
It describes the range of habitats that can be found in a specific area
Population Bottleneck
It is a large reduction in the size of a single population due to a catastrophic environmental event
Minimum Viable Population Size
The number of individuals remaining after the bottleneck and how that compares to the smallest possible size at which a population can exist without facing extinction from a natural disaster
Generalist Species
Species that live in different types of environments and have varied diets
Raccoons
They are classified as omnivores as they are able to survive on a large variety of food types
Specialist Species
These species require unique resources and often have a very limited diet; they often need a specific habitat in which to survive
Giant Panda Bear
They survives almost entirely on bamboo and lives in remote bamboo forests in China
Species Richness
The number of different speciesDS (diversity) represented in an ecological community or region
Cultural Benefits
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture can directly support recreational services.
Recreational fishing is linked to healthy aquatic ecosystems.
Provisioning Benefits
Ecosystems provide diversity of materials and products
Livestock provide different types of raw material such as fiber (wool), meat, milk
Regulating Benefits
Keep pest populations in balance through natural predators.
Keeps food prices lower
Reduces the need for pesticides
Achieved in ecosystems through the actions of predators and parasites as well as by the defense mechanisms of their prey.
Supporting Benefits
Form new soil and renew soil fertility
Allows for greater crop yields, which can feed more people.
Reduces the need for fertilizers.
Island
A suitable habitat for a specific ecosystem that is surrounded by a large area of unsuitable habitat
Island Biogeography
It examines the factors that affect the richness and diversity of species living in these isolated natural communities
Theory of Island Biogeography
It proposes that the number of species found on an "island" is determined by immigration and extinction of isolated populations
Degree of Isolation
Distance to the nearest island or mainland
Habitat fragmentation
It occurs when a habitat is broken into pieces by development, industry, logging, roads, etc., and can cause an edge effect
Law of Tolerance
It states that the existence, abundance, and distribution of species depend on the tolerance level of each species to both physical and chemical factors within its environment
Ecosystem
A community of organisms that interact with each other and their environment and that can change over time
Episodic Process
Occurring occasionally and at irregular intervals
Periodic Process
Occurring at repeated intervals
Random Process
Lacking a regular pattern
Adaptation
The biological mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment
Behavioral Adaptation
Such as instincts, mating behavior, or vocalizations
Physiological Adaptation
Such as methods of temperature control or how food is digested
Structural Adaptation
Involves physical features such as body coverings
Ecological succession
The gradual and orderly process of ecosystem development brought about by changes in community composition and the production of a climax community and describes the changes in an ecosystem through time and disturbance
Facilitation
When one species modifies an environment to the extent that it meets the needs of another species
Inhibition
When one species modifies the environment to an extent that is not suitable for another species
Tolerance
When species are not affected by the presence of other species
Pioneer Species
Earlier successional plants, generalists
r-strategists
mature rapidly; short-lived species; number of organisms within a species is high; low biodiversity; niche generalists
K-strategists
mature slowly; long-lived; number of organisms within a species is lower; greater biodiversity; niche specialists
Ecological succession
The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time, which can be millions of years in the case of primary succession or decades in the case of secondary succession
Primary succession
The evolution of a biological communitys ecological structure in which plants and animals first colonize a barren, lifeless habitat
Secondary succession
A type of ecological succession in which plants and animals recolonize a habitat after a major disturbance
Ecological disturbance
An event or force that can result in mortality to organisms and changes in the spatial patterns in their ecosystem and plays a significant role in shaping the structure of individual populations within the ecosystem
Succession
A directional, non-seasonal, cumulative change in the types of plant species that occupy a given area over time, involving colonization, establishment, and extinction, shows how an ecosystem changes after an ecological disturbance
Species richness
The number of different species represented in an ecological community
Keystone species
A species whose very presence contributes to a diversity of life and whose extinction would lead to the extinction of other forms of life
Indicator species
These are organisms whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition and can indicate the health of an ecosystem
global warming
The primary reason for changes in sea level today is glaciers and sea ice melts caused by ______.
30%
_______ of sea-level change is due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets on land.
30%
_______ of sea-level change is due to thermal expansion—as the oceans warm (climate change), water expands.
40%
______ of sea-level change is due to coastal land subsidence (sinking).
Short Term Adaptations
Develops in response to temporary changes in the environment;
Involves temporary changes;
It is not inherited, nor does DNA change; and
Plays no role in evolutionary processes.
Long-term adaptations
_____ may involve DNA changing over long time periods in response to natural selection involving evolutionary processes.
early stages of succession
In the ______, gross productivity is low due to the initial environmental conditions and low numbers of producers.
later stages of succession
In _________ near the climax community, gross productivity (GP) may be high, but increased respiration (R) balances it, so net productivity approaches zero and the gross production respiration (GP:R) ratio approaches 1:1.
Note 
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