Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits that humans derive from ecosystems, including provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services.

Species Richness

The total number of different species present in a given ecosystem.

Species Evenness

The relative abundance of different species in a given area.

Ecological Tolerance

The range of conditions that a species can tolerate, including biotic and abiotic factors.

Natural Disruptions

Events that can cause significant changes in an ecosystem, affecting species populations and community structure.

Microevolution

Small-scale evolutionary changes that occur within a population or species.

Macroevolution

Large-scale evolutionary changes that result in the formation of new species or groups.

Founder Effect

A reduction in genetic diversity that occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population.

Bottleneck Effect

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events, causing a loss of genetic diversity.

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Invasive Species

Non-native organisms that spread rapidly in a new environment, potentially causing harm to native species and ecosystems.

Endemic Species

Species that are found nowhere else in the world.

Mass Extinction

A rapid and widespread decrease in the Earth’s biodiversity, resulting in the extinction of a large number of species.

Ecological Succession

The gradual process of change and replacement in the composition of a community over time.

Provisional Services

Ecosystem services that provide goods humans use directly.

Regulating Services

Ecosystem services that regulate environmental conditions, such as climate and water quality.

Supporting Services

Ecosystem services that underpin the processes we depend on, such as nutrient cycling and habitat provisioning.

Cultural Services

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