BIOL1030 lec 1

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the biodiversity crisis, helping students understand fundamental concepts necessary for their exam.

Biodiversity

The variety of all living things, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Biodiversity Crisis

A significant decline in biodiversity, leading to the extinction of species and loss of ecosystems.

Extinction Cascade

A series of extinctions triggered by the disappearance of a keystone species in an ecosystem.

IUCN Red List

The most widely recognized authority on the global conservation status of animal and plant species.

Keystone Species

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

Mass Extinction

An event in which a significant percentage of all life forms on Earth are wiped out in a relatively short period.

Habitat Fragmentation

The process by which habitat loss results in the division of larger, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolated remnants.

Coextinction

A situation where one species' extinction leads to the extinction of another species that depends on it.

Genetic Bottleneck

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities, resulting in a loss of genetic diversity.

Sustainable Exploitation

The use of resources at a rate that allows the population to replenish itself.