Day 2-Biodiversity and Human Dependence on the Natural Environment-I

Biodiversity

The variety of different types of life found on earth, including all species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms.

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed with each other.

Ecosystem

All the plants, animals, and microorganisms living in a single place at a given time, along with the non-living components of the system.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, considered as a single, large, complex ecosystem.

Genetic diversity

The variability or diversity within a species.

Species diversity

The number of different species in a given area.

Keystone species

A plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions.

Endangered species

A species that is "in danger of becoming extinct."

Ecosystem diversity

The variety of different habitats/ecosystems in a particular area.

Trophic level

The feeding level of an organism in a food chain or food web.

Habitat destruction

The destruction or disruption of a habitat, which can have a direct impact on global biodiversity.

Biological magnification

The increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms as trophic levels increase in a food chain or food web.

Pesticides

Chemical substances used to kill or control pests, such as insects, weeds, and fungi.

Pollution impacts on Biodiversity

The negative effects of pollution on the variety and abundance of living organisms in an ecosystem.

Acid Rain

Precipitation (rain, snow, or fog) that has a high concentration of sulfuric acid and nitric acid, which can harm plants, soil, and aquatic life.

Eutrophication

The process in which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen, causing harm to aquatic organisms.

Algae Bloom

Rapid growth and accumulation of algae in water bodies, often caused by excessive nutrients.

Sediments

Particles of soil, sand, or other materials that settle at the bottom of water bodies.

Exotic species

Species that are introduced from another ecosystem and have no natural predators in their new environment, leading to uncontrolled population growth and negative impacts on native species.