Chemistry- Unit 2 Biodiversity

Adaptation

Any inherited trait (physical or behavioral) that increases an organism's ability to survive and/or reproduce.

Biodiversity hotspot

An area that has an exceptionally high amount of different species and is prioritized by conservationists for preservation.

Bottleneck effect

A reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by a sudden reduction in the population size.

Camouflage

The ability of an organism to blend into its surroundings.

Climax community

A stable, mature community that occurs at the "end" of succession.

Cultural services

Aesthetic, spiritual, or recreational benefits from nature.

Disturbance

Any event that results in changes in an ecosystem.

Ecological tolerance

The range of conditions in which a species can survive.

Ecosystem diversity

Variety of habitats within an area.

Ecosystem services

Benefits provided to humans by the natural world.

Endemic species

Organisms that are native to and only found in one area.

Episodic

Occurring at irregular intervals.

Evolution

The gradual change in a species over time.

Extirpation

"Localized extinction" where all of a species disappears from a certain area only.

Genetic diversity

The variety of DNA within populations in an area.

Geographic isolation

Physical separation of individuals in a population that can lead to an accumulation of genetic differences between the groups.

Geological time

Periods, epochs, and eras of millions of years used to study changes in the earth over its entire history.

Indicator species

Organisms that by their presence or abundance provide information about the health of the environment.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

The concept that moderate levels of disturbance can foster greater species diversity than low or high levels of disturbance.

Island Biogeography

Proposes that the number of species found on an undisturbed island is determined by colonization and extinction rates; highest biodiversity will be on a larger size island that is closer to the mainland.

Keystone species

Organisms that have an unusually large impact on the ecosystem; not necessarily the most abundant organism in the ecosystem.

Lichen

Symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a photosynthetic organism that is able to grow on bare rock and act as a pioneer species.

Migration

Movement of organisms from one area to another, typically seasonally.

Mimicry

Ability of an organism to look like another organism.

Mutation

Any change in DNA that might have a positive, negative, or no effect.

Natural selection

The principle that since not all organisms will survive and reproduce, those that are well

Opportunistic species

Species that can quickly inhabit a new area and take advantage of new resources.

Periodic

Occurring at regular, fixed intervals.

pH

The measure of how acidic or basic something is, obtained by measuring the concentration of hydrogen ions.

pH scale

Measurements from 0

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a group of species showing how they are related.

Pioneer species

The first species to populate an area during the process of succession.

Primary succession

Series of changes in an environment that does not have any living organisms or soil present.

Provisioning services

Products that are obtained from nature, such as food or lumber.

Random

Occurring with no pattern whatsoever.

Regulating services

Ways that nature controls the environment to maintain conditions, such as climate and water quality.

Salinity

Measure of amount of salts dissolved in water.

Secondary succession

Series of changes that occur in an ecosystem that has been disrupted but still has soil and living organisms present.

Specialist species

Organisms with a narrow ecological niche

Speciation

The formation of a new species.

Species diversity

The variety of different kinds of organisms that are in a community.

Species evenness

The relative abundance of different species in a community; the proportions of each.

Species richness

The number of different species that are present in a community.

Succession

A series of predictable change occurring in an area after it has been disturbed.

Supporting services

Benefits from nature that allow us to live, such as nutrient cycling and soil formation.

Background extinction

Normal rate of extinction of various species as a result of changes in local environmental conditions.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in an ecosystem.

Captive breeding

The mating of animals in zoos or wildlife preserves.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

1973 treaty facilitated by the United Nations that protects endangered species by banning the international transport of their body parts

Edge effects

Different environmental conditions that occur along the boundaries of two ecosystems.

Endangered species

A species whose numbers are so small that the species is at risk of extinction.

Endangered Species Act

1973 law that identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations.

Extinction

When a species that no longer has any known living individuals.

Fitness

Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Generalist species

Organisms with a broad ecological niche, meaning they can live in many different places, eat a variety of foods, and tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions.

Habitat corridors

Natural strips of land that allow the migration of organisms from one wilderness area to another.

Habitat fragmentation

Breakup of a habitat into smaller separated pieces such as by roads or canals..

HIPPCO

Acronym for the main causes of decreasing biodiversity: habitat destruction, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation.

Invasive species

A species that enters new ecosystems and multiplies, harming native species and their habitats.

Mass extinction

An event during which many species die out during a relatively short period of time.

Native species

Species that normally live and thrive in a particular ecosystem.

Non

native species

Overexploitation

Practice of harvesting or hunting to such a degree that remaining individuals may not be able to replenish the population.

Poaching

Illegal killing or removal of wildlife from their habitats.

r

selected species

Sea level

The average level of the ocean's surface at any given time.

Selective pressure

Environmental conditions that make it harder for an organism to survive and reproduce.

Threatened species

A species that could become endangered in the near future

K-selected species

Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age.

Habitat

the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.