Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Resilience

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and their importance for resilience and stability in ecosystems.

Biodiversity

The total of all genetically based variation in all organisms in the biosphere.

Ecosystem diversity

The variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere.

Species diversity

The number of species in the biosphere.

Genetic diversity

The total of all the different forms of genes in the biosphere.

Ecosystem services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including food, nutrient cycling, and water purification.

Resilience

A natural or human system’s ability to recover after a disturbance.

Nutrient cycling

The process through which nutrients are recycled in ecosystems, particularly in soil communities.

Carbon storage

The capacity of healthy ecosystems to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it.

Pollination

The process by which pollinators assist in the reproduction of flowering plants, contributing to food production.

Buffering effects of extreme weather events

The ability of ecosystems, like wetlands and forests, to protect against the impacts of storms and erosion.