BIODIVERSITY & EVOLUTION

Biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Biome

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms

biological evolution

the process whereby earth's life changes over time through changes in the genes of populations

Natural Selection

A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment.

Mutation

A change in a gene or chromosome.

Adaptation

A characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Speciation

the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

Geographic isolation

isolation between populations due to physical barriers

Artificial selection

Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with identical traits.

Genetic Engineering

Process of making changes in the DNA code of living organisms

endemic species

species that are native to and found only within a limited area

background extinction

gradual process of a species becoming extinct

Mass extinction

event in which many types of living things become extinct at the same time

Ecological niche

A specific role of a species within an ecosystem, including its use of resources, and relationships with other species.

Habitat

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

generalist species

species with a broad ecological niche

Specialist Species

species with a narrow ecological niche

native species

Species that normally live and thrive in a particular ecosystem

SOFAR channel

traps sound waves, and the sound waves can propagate over long distances

indicator species

species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged

Keystone species

A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem

interspecific competition

competition between members of different species

Resource partitioning

the differentiation of niches that enables similar species to coexist in a community

Predation

An interaction in which one organism kills another for food.

Coevolution

Process by which two species evolve in response to changes in each other

parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

Ecological succession

gradual change in living communities that follows a disturbance

resilience

the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

Fire supression

practice of putting out all natural forest fires as soon as they start

Range of tolerance

the limits to the abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate

Habitat fragmentation

Splitting of ecosystems into small fragments

Species

A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

Island Biogeography

the study of the species composition and species richness on islands

Coral bleaching

A phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white.

Mangroves

tropical trees that grow along coasts and help maintain the health of coastal environments

Estuary

A habitat in which the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of the ocean.

Wetlands

Ecosystems of several types in which vegetation is surrounded by stand water during part of the year

Deposition

gas to solid

Erosion

Processes by which rock, sand, and soil are broken down and carried away (i.e. weathering, glaciation)

Longshore drift

The movement of water and sediment down a beach caused by waves coming in to shore at an angle

Groins

short, artificial walls built perpendicular to the shoreline to trap sand moved by longshore currents.

jetties

a breakwater constructed to protect or defend a harbor, stretch of coast, or riverbank.

beach soft stabilization

the process of adding lost sand and sediment back to beaches after erosion has occurred.