Stability and Change IB Biology D4.2

deforestation

The removal of trees faster than forests can replace themselves.

keystone species

a species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem

Sustainability

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Microplastics

extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste.

Macroplastics

larger floating plastic debris, often found in ocean waters

Oligotrophic lakes

high oxygen, and low nutrient availability

Eutrophic lakes

A lake that has a high rate of biological productivity supported by a high rate of nutrient cycling, low oxygen levels

Biomagnification

accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain

ecological restoration

Deliberate alteration of a degraded habitat or ecosystem to restore as much of its ecological structure and function as possible.

Succession

A series of predictable and orderly changes within an ecosystem over time.

Resistance

a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem

resilience

the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

Ecosystem stability

the total number of species is fairly consistant from year to year---the same species were present each year--- the population size of each species was approximately the same from year to year

Global Forest Watch

a large database of forests of the world over time

Mesocosm

an experimental tool that brings a small part of the natural environment under controlled conditions.

nutrient availability

Plants need soil nutrients to grow, so availability determines which plants can survive in a biome.

detoxification of waste products

when one species will exploit the waste of another as a resource

Sustainable fishing

Fishing up to the maximum sustainable yield so that future fish stocks are not at risk of being depleted

sustainable forestry

The use and management of forest ecosystems in an environmentally balanced and enduring way

sustainable yield

Highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its available supply

tillage

the preparation of land for growing crops

nutrient depletion

the situation that arises when more soil nutrients are used than the decomposers can supply

mechanical tillage

use of fuel powered machinery in field prep

Silent Spring

A book written by Rachel Carson to voice the concerns of environmentalists about pesticides

Rewilding

restoring ecosystems to increase biodiversity and access to ecosystem services and to reduce extinction rates

apex predator

the top predator in an ecosystem

primary succession

An ecological succession that begins in an area where no biotic community previously existed

secondary succession

Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil

climax community

A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time

drainage of wetlands

- breeding grounds for birds and other animals
- wetlands filter and clean water that flows through them