ENVS 101 - Module 3.2 VOCAB

Biodiversity

Biodiversity

the variety of life on Earth; it includes species, genetic, and ecological diversity

Ecosystem services

essential ecological processes that make life on Earth possible

Instrumental value

an object’s or species’ worth, based on its usefulness to humans

Intrinsic value

an object’s or species’ worth based on its mere existence; it has an inherent right to exist

Genetic diversity

the heritable variation among individuals of a single population or within the species as a whole

Species diversity

the variety of species, including how many are present (richness) and their abundance relative to each other (evenness)

Ecological diversity

the variety within an ecosystem’s structure, including many communities, habitats, niches, and trophic levels

Endemic Species

a species that is native to a particular area and is not naturally found elsewhere

Conservation biology

the science concerned with preserving biodiversity

Endangered species

species at high risk of becoming extinct

Threatened species

species that are at risk for extinction; various threat levels have been identified, ranging from “least concern” to “extinct”

Single-species conservation

a management strategy that focuses on protecting one particular species

Flagship species

the focus of public awareness campaigns aimed at generating interest in conservation in general; usually an interesting or charismatic species, such as the giant panda or tiger

Ecosystem conservation

a management strategy that focuses on protecting an ecosystem as a whole in an effort to protect the species that live there

Surrogate species

species that collectively represent all the needs of other species in the area

Conservation genetics

the scientific field that relies on species’ genetics to inform conservation efforts

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

the primary federal law that protects biodiversity in the United States

Protected areas

geographic spaces on land or at sea that are recognized, dedicated, and managed to achieve long-term conservation in nature

Ecotourism

low-impact travel to natural areas that contributes to the protection of the environment and respects the local people

Debt-for-nature swaps

arrangements in which a wealthy nation forgives the debt of a developing nation in return for a pledge to protect natural areas in that developing nation

Land trust

legal entities that permanently restrict future development on land they own or that is under their authority (a conservation easement)

Conservation easement

a voluntary, legal agreement that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

regulates the sale and trade of endangered or threatened species or products