Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

Flashcards for key vocabulary terms related to biodiversity and ecological concepts.

Habitat Biodiversity

Variety of habitats in a given area.

Species Biodiversity

Variety of species in a given area, including species richness and evenness.

Species Richness

Number of different species represented in an ecological community, landscape or region.

Species Evenness

Refers to how close in numbers each species in an environment is.

Genetic Diversity

Variety of genes within a species.

Ecosystem Services

Benefits people obtain from ecosystems, categorized as provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural.

Provisioning Services

Ecosystem services that supply us with resources, such as water, food, and lumber.

Regulating Services

Ecosystem services that control natural processes, such as climate regulation, disease control, and pollination.

Supporting Services

Ecosystem services such as nutrient cycles, soil formation, and primary production forming the basis for life.

Cultural Services

Ecosystem services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits.

Island Biogeography

Study of the factors affecting the species richness and diversification of isolated natural communities.

Distance from Mainland

How far an island is located from the mainland, which impacts immigration rates.

Island Size

The physical size of an island, which can influence its immigration and extinction rates.

Adaptive Radiation

The evolution of an ancestral species into a wide array of descendant species.

Immigration

The movement of organisms into a habitat or area.

Ecological Tolerance

The range of environmental conditions that are tolerable for survival in a species.

Range of Tolerance

The entire set of environmental conditions under which an organism can survive and reproduce.

Physiological Stress

Occurs when an organism is exposed to conditions outside its optimal range, resulting in decreased rates of survival, growth, or reproduction.

Natural Disturbances to Ecosystems

Events that disrupt ecosystem structure and function.

Random Disturbances

Disturbances that occur without a predictable pattern.

Periodic Disturbances

Disturbances that occur at regular intervals.

Episodic Disturbances

Disturbances that occur occasionally and irregularly.

Geologic Time

The history of the earth based on rock layers and fossil records.

Wildlife Migration

Seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.

Evolution

The process of change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Fitness

An organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Adaptation

A trait that enhances an organism's fitness.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapt to their environment to survive and reproduce.

Ecological Succession

The natural, gradual process of change in an ecological community over time.

Primary Succession

Succession that occurs on land where no soil exists.

Secondary Succession

Succession that occurs on land where soil is present.

Pioneer Species

The first species to colonize a barren environment in primary ecological succession.

Mid-Successional Species

Species that appear during mid-successional stages.

Climax Community

A stable and mature community that has reached equilibrium.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.