Bio 111 - Biodiversity and Conservation ecology

what is biodiversity?

encompasses the genetic diversity of species, the variety of different species, and the different ecosystems they form

what is conservation biology?

uses molecular biology, genetics, and ecology to protect and sustain biodiversity

what are the three levels of biodiversity?

genetic diversity

species diversity

ecosystem diversity

what is genetic diversity?

the amount of genetic variation within and between populations

what is species diversity?

number and relative abundance of species in a community

what is ecosystem diversity?

diversity of structure and function within an ecosystem

what are market values in an ecosystem?

raw materials, controlling erosion, and recreation

what are sine nonmarket values in an ecosystem?

scientific research, cultural value, teaching, and learning resources.

what is biophilia?

humans' innate attachment with species and natural habitats because of close associations with them over millions of years

Environments with increased diversity also showed increased ______________

productivity

what is one way Tilman et al. discovered to reduce the amount of invasive plant species and fungal diseases in an environment?

increase the richness of the environment

what is an introduced species?

a species moved by humans from a native location to a new one (often for agricultural purposes, sometimes by accident)

introduced species that spread and outcompete native species become ________________

an invasive species

what is biological control?

the intentional release of a natural enemy

what are some major things climate change can negatively affect?

the timing of plant and animal life-cycle events (migration, flowering, hibernation emergence)

what are greenhouse gases?

airborne chemicals that capture and hold heat within earth's atmosphere

the _______________________ is vital to life on Earth; without it, most of Earth's surface would be too cold to support life

greenhouse effect

what will global warming do to coral reefs?

warming oceans can cause coral to lose their symbiotic algae. Without it, they die

small populations are vulnerable to loss of genetic diversity through which three factors?

inbreeding, genetic drift, and limited mating

what is 'effective population size'?

individuals that will contribute genes to future generations

what is an ecological footprint?

an estimate of the amount of land and water required to sustain one person

what is the goal of sustainable development?

to maintain the productivity of Earth's ecosystems indefinitely

what are two examples of dramatic species recovery that we talked about?

Bald eagle recovery

american alligator recovery

what is one way to slow population growth and ease competition for resources?

Educating girls in developing countries (staying in school delays reproduction)

what are biodiversity hot spots?

relatively small areas with unusually high concentrations of endemic species and endangered species

what are endemic species?

species that are only found in a relatively small geographic area

what is fragmentation?

the splitting of habitats that causes populations to become isolated from each other

Why might a circular park be preferred to an oblong or rectangular park?

to minimize edge effects (circles have less surface area than squares or rectangles). The center of a forest is always shadier, cooler, less windy, and supports more life

what is an indicator species?

species whose status gives clues to overall habitat health (coral, polar bears)

what is an umbrella species?

habitat requirements are so large that protecting them also protects other species

what is a flagship species?

charming, recognizable species that people care about

what is a keystone species?

disproportionately affect some ecosystem relative to their numbers (otters in alaska, beavers)

what are a few factors that contribute to coastal land loss in louisiana?

lack of sediment added to marsh

oil exploration

sea level rise

what is bioremediation?

the use of living organisms to detoxify polluted ecosystems