A4.2 Conservation of Biodiversity Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to biodiversity, conservation strategies, and the EDGE program based on the Unit 1A A4.2 notes.

Biodiversity

Variety of life in all its forms, levels and combinations, including ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity.

Ecosystem Diversity

The variety of ecosystems found in a given area or on Earth.

Species Diversity

The number and relative abundance of different species in an ecosystem.

Genetic Diversity

Variety of genes and alleles within a species population, increasing the potential for adaptation.

In situ conservation

Conserving species in their natural habitats, e.g., management of reserves and protected areas.

Ex situ conservation

Conserving species outside their natural habitats, e.g., zoos, botanic gardens, seed banks.

EDGE of Existence programme

A conservation prioritization approach focusing on Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered species.

Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED)

A measure of how unique a species is on the tree of life.

Globally Endangered (GE)

Species with a high risk of global extinction; often used in EDGE criteria.

Anthropogenic extinction

Extinction driven by human activities, such as hunting, habitat loss and pollution.

Sixth mass extinction

Current ongoing mass extinction largely caused by human activities.

Overexploitation

Harvesting or hunting at rates faster than populations can recover.

Habitat destruction

Loss or fragmentation of natural habitat due to human activities.

Deforestation

Removal of forests leading to habitat loss and biodiversity decline.

Urbanization

Expansion of urban areas into natural habitats.

Pollution

Introduction of contaminants harming organisms and ecosystems.

Invasive alien species

Non-native species that spread and disrupt native ecosystems.

Climate change

Long-term changes in climate patterns affecting biodiversity and habitats.

IPBES

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; assesses biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Biodiversity crisis

Rapid decline in biodiversity and ecosystem function due to human impacts.

Simpson’s Biodiversity Index

A measure of biodiversity considering species richness and evenness; higher values indicate greater diversity.

Species richness

The number of different species present in a given area.

Species evenness

How evenly individuals are distributed among the species present.

Citizen scientist

A member of the public who collects or contributes data for scientific research.

Verifiability of citizen science data

Data must be published, peer-reviewed, and have checkable methodology to be verifiable.

Taxonomy

Science of naming, describing and classifying organisms.

Lumpers

Taxonomists who group organisms into broader categories based on overall similarities.

Splitters

Taxonomists who classify organisms into many smaller, more specific groups based on differences.

Mixed Dipterocarp Forests

Tropical forests of Southeast Asia, highly biodiverse and under threat from deforestation and human activity.

Mangroves

Coastal temperate and tropical wetlands that are threatened by coastal development, aquaculture and logging.

Rewilding

Restoration of ecosystems by reintroducing native species and restoring natural processes.

Reclamation

Restoration of degraded ecosystems to a more natural or functional state.

Seed banks

Storage of seeds for long-term conservation and future restoration.

Germ plasm (germplasm)

Genetic material (seeds, tissues, etc.) stored for conservation and breeding.

North Island giant moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae)

Flightless megafaunal bird from New Zealand; became extinct about 600 years ago due to human activity.

Caribbean monk seals (Neomonachus tropicalis)

Extinct marine seal species, hunted to extinction for meat, blubber and clothing; habitat disruption.

Splendid Poison Frog (Oophaga speciosa)

Extinct species (estimated 2020) from Panama; deforestation and habitat degradation, plus capture for pets.