Ecology and Environmental Issues

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to ecology, environmental issues, and their impacts on species and ecosystems.

Overfishing

The depletion of fish stocks due to excessive fishing, leading to ecological imbalances.

Movement corridors

Structures such as bridges that connect fragmented habitats to allow species migration and increase population sizes.

Biodiversity hotspots

Areas with a high concentration of endemic, endangered, or threatened species; they are crucial for conservation.

Umbrella species

Species whose conservation aids in the protection of other species and the overall health of an ecosystem.

Nutrient enrichment

The process where excess nutrients, primarily from fertilizers, run off into water bodies causing algal blooms.

Eutrophication

A process where water bodies receive excess nutrients, leading to algal blooms and depletion of dissolved oxygen.

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of toxins in an organism's body, which can increase as one moves up the food chain.

Greenhouse effect

A natural process that warms the Earth’s surface; however, excess greenhouse gases can intensify this effect, leading to global warming.

Acid rain

Precipitation that contains high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids, often resulting from industrial emissions.

Ozone layer

A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation; depletion can cause increased exposure to radiation.

Overfishing

The depletion of fish stocks due to excessive fishing, leading to ecological imbalances.

Movement corridors

Structures such as bridges that connect fragmented habitats to allow species migration and increase population sizes.

Biodiversity hotspots

Areas with a high concentration of endemic, endangered, or threatened species; they are crucial for conservation.

Umbrella species

Species whose conservation aids in the protection of other species and the overall health of an ecosystem.

Nutrient enrichment

The process where excess nutrients, primarily from fertilizers, run off into water bodies causing algal blooms.

Eutrophication

A process where water bodies receive excess nutrients, leading to algal blooms and depletion of dissolved oxygen.

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of toxins in an organism's body, which can increase as one moves up the food chain.

Greenhouse effect

A natural process that warms the Earth

’s surface; however, excess greenhouse gases can intensify this effect, leading to global warming.

Acid rain

Precipitation that contains high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids, often resulting from industrial emissions.

Ozone layer

A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation; depletion can cause increased exposure to radiation.

Habitat fragmentation

The process by which habitat loss results in the division of large, continuous habitats into smaller, isolated patches, leading to decreased biodiversity and genetic isolation.

Invasive species

A non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health by outcompeting native species.

Ecological footprint

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, indicating the amount of productive land and sea area required to support a population's consumption patterns and absorb its waste.