Environmental Ethics and Biodiversity

These flashcards cover key definitions and concepts related to ethical worldviews, ecosystem services, extinction, habitat loss, and overexploitation within the realm of environmental science.

Human Centered

An ethical worldview that considers humans as the central focus.

Biocentric

An ethical perspective that values all living organisms.

Ecocentric

An ethical perspective that values entire ecosystems and their functioning.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to human well-being.

Provisioning Services

Products obtained from ecosystems such as food and medicine.

Regulating Services

Benefits provided by ecosystem processes that regulate climate, water quality, and other environmental factors.

Supporting Services

Ecological functions that support ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling and soil formation.

Cultural Services

Non-material benefits gained from ecosystems, including recreation and spiritual enrichment.

Niche Partitioning

A strategy where species divide limited resources in space or time, leading to increased efficiency.

Extinction

The loss of a species that occurs when the last individual dies.

IUCN Red List

A comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to a particular geographic region and are not found elsewhere.

Habitat Loss

The complete elimination of habitats, along with their biological communities and ecological functions.

Habitat Fragmentation

The process by which larger, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches.

Overexploitation

The unsustainable harvesting of renewable resources faster than they can be replenished.

CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, a treaty aimed at protecting endangered wildlife and plants.

Zoonotic Diseases

Diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.