Lab 4 Population Genetics, Species Concepts, and Conservation Biology

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on population genetics, species concepts, and conservation biology relating to the Aurora trout.

Bottleneck Effect

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

Effective Population Size (Ne)

A measure of the size of a population that accounts for factors such as gender ratio and breeding success, influencing the genetic diversity and viability of the population.

Extinction Vortex

A phenomenon where a population's reduced size and genetic diversity lead to an increased risk of extinction through a feedback loop of decreasing fitness and population size.

Species Concept

A framework for defining what constitutes a species, including biological, morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic perspectives.

COSEWIC

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, responsible for assessing and advising on the conservation status of species.

Morphological Species Concept

Defines a species based on observable physical characteristics and structures.

Biological Species Concept

Defines a species as a group of populations whose members can interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring.

Ecological Species Concept

Defines a species in terms of its ecological niche, focusing on how it interacts with the environment and other organisms.

Phylogenetic Species Concept

Defines a species as the smallest group of individuals that share a common ancestor, forming a distinct branch on the tree of life.

Aquatic Ecosystems

Ecosystems located in water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, where organisms interact with the aquatic environment.

Habitat Restoration

The process of returning a degraded habitat to a healthy, functioning ecosystem.