Conservation Biology

biodiversity

general term for the number of species present in the biosphere, by taking into account both the number of species and their relative abundance to each other

adaptive radiation

rapid branching through speciation of a phylogenetic clade into many closely related species

extinction

the disappearance of species

mass extinction

a period in history with much higher rates of species loss

genetic diversity

defines the raw material (genes) for evolution and adaptation in a species \n -also known as Genetic Variation

chemical diversity

different species produce a variety of chemicals in their cells, both proteins as well as products and byproducts of metabolism

ecosystem diversity

the number of different ecosystems on the planet or within a given geographic area

endemic species

Species native to and found only in a specific geographic location

biogeography

the study of the distribution of the world's species in past and present

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heterogeneity

number of ecological niches

biodiversity hotspots

geographical areas that contain high numbers of endemic species

end-Permian Extinction

Largest mass extinction which resulted in the disappearance of 96% of marine and 70% of all terrestrial species

Pleistocene Extinction

disappearance of megafauna between 12,000-10,000 years ago

megafauna

large vertebrate animals

Holocene Mass Extinction

largely due to the disruptive activities of modern Homo Sapiens

Red List

a list of extinct and endangered species produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

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extinction rate

Percentage or number of species that go extinct within a certain period of time

background extinction

normal extinction of various species as a result of changes in local environmental conditions

species-area relationship

rate at which new species are seen when the area surveyed is increased

secondary plant compounds

Toxins used to protect the plant from insects and other animals that eat them, some of which are useful as medication

ecosystem services

Important environmental benefits, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and fertile soil in which to grow crops, that ecosystems provide

endemism

the restriction of species to one location or habitat

tragedy of the commons

No individual has the incentive or ability to preserve a common, shared good that is free, so without collective effort, it is likely to be overused and perhaps ultimately destroyed

bush meat

generic term used for wild animals killed for food

exotic species

species that have been intentionally or unintentionally introduced into an ecosystem in which they did not evolve

chytridiomycosis

a disease of amphibians caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; thought to be a major cause of the global amphibian decline

white-nose syndrome

a disease caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans introduced from Europe that infects and decimates cave-hibernating bats in Eastern North America

climate change

the anthropogenic warming trend presently escalating that is recognized as a major extinction threat, especially combined with other threats such as habitat loss and the expansion of disease organisms

DNA barcoding

molecular genetic method that takes advantage of rapid evolution in a mitochondrial gene (cytochrome c oxidase 1) present in eukaryotes, except for plants, to identify species using the sequence portions of the gene

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Species at risk are listed by the Act; the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service is required by law to develop plans that protect the listed species and bring them back to sustainable numbers.

Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)

an agreement between the United States and Canada that was signed into law in 1918 in response to declines in North American bird species caused by hunting

buffer zones

suboptimal habitat around a nature preserve that allows organisms to the boundaries of the preserve without immediate negative consequences from predation or natural resources

wildlife corridors

connect small preserves so individuals and genes can move between preserves and make the smaller preserves act like one large preserve

keystone species

a species that is instrumental in maintaining diversity in an ecosystem

species richness

the number of species in an defined area /community

species diversity

measure that incorporates richness AND species evenness

species evenness

relative abundance

latitudinal diversity gradient

one of the strongest patterns in ecology, for most species there are more species at low latitudes (closer to equator) than high latitudes (closer to poles)

Norman Myers

pioneered the study of biodiversity hotspots

invasive species

exotic species that grows to a large population size and competes successfully with native species

supporting services

vital functions that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services

regulating services

benefits from the regulation of ecosystem processes

resilience

a measure of how quickly a community recovers from a disturbance

Rachel Carson

Wrote "Silent Spring," which highlights the danger of pesticides to wildlife and humans

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nature preserve

a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or other special interest