Conservation Biology and Global Change

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on Conservation Biology and Global Change.

Endangered Species

A species in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range, according to the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Threatened Species

A species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future, according to the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Ecosystem Services

All the processes through which natural ecosystems and their species help sustain human life (e.g., purification of air and water).

Introduced Species

Species that humans move from native locations to new geographic regions.

Overharvesting

Human harvesting of wild plants or animals at rates exceeding the ability of populations of those species to rebound.

Global Change

Alterations in climate, atmospheric chemistry, and broad ecological systems.

Acid Precipitation

Precipitation containing sulfuric acid and nitric acid from the burning of wood and fossil fuels.

Extinction Vortex

A downward population spiral in a small population due to inbreeding and genetic drift, leading to further reduction in population size.

Minimum Viable Population (MVP)

The minimum population size at which a species can survive.

Effective Population Size (Ne)

An estimate of the size of a population based on the number of females and males that successfully breed.

Declining-Population Approach

Focuses on threatened and endangered populations that show a downward trend, emphasizing environmental factors that caused the decline.

Landscape Ecology

Seeks to make biodiversity conservation part of land-use planning.

Movement Corridor

A narrow strip of habitat connecting otherwise isolated patches, promoting dispersal and sustaining populations.

Biodiversity Hot Spot

A relatively small area with a great concentration of endemic species and many endangered and threatened species.

Zoned Reserve

A reserve that includes relatively undisturbed areas and the modified areas that surround them and that serve as buffer zones.

Critical Load

The amount of added nutrient that can be absorbed by plants without damaging ecosystem integrity.

Biological Magnification

The process whereby toxins become more concentrated in successive trophic levels of a food web.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of Earth due to atmospheric accumulation of CO2 and other gases, which absorb and reflect infrared radiation.

Assisted Migration

The translocation of a species to a favorable habitat beyond its native range to protect it from climate change.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of people today without limiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.