unit 2: Biodiversity

Flashcards reviewing key concepts from ecology lecture notes, focusing on biodiversity, ecosystems, and environmental changes.

What is Biodiversity?

Lots of different kinds of life, including plants, animals, and bugs.

What are the 3 types of biodiversity?

Genetic Diversity, Species Diversity, Ecosystem Diversity

What is Genetic Diversity?

Differences inside a species.

What is Species Diversity?

How many kinds of animals and plants live in one place.

What is Ecosystem Diversity?

How many types of homes (like forests, oceans, deserts).

What are characteristics of Ecosystems with Lots of Biodiversity?

Lots of natural resources, a mix of many genes, food chains with different jobs, and lots of animals and plants living together.

Why does Biodiversity Matter?

It keeps nature working well and balanced.

What is a Population Bottleneck?

When a big disaster kills lots of animals, leaving only a few.

What is the Minimum Viable Population?

The smallest number of animals needed to keep going without going extinct.

What are Generalist animals?

Animals that can live in lots of places and eat lots of foods.

What are Specialist animals?

Animals that need a special home and special food.

What human activities hurt biodiversity?

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, industrial farming, overfishing, pesticides, GMOs, and water pollution.

What is Species Richness?

How many different species are in one place.

What are the 4 big ways nature helps us (Ecosystem Services)?

Cultural, Provisioning, Regulating, and Supporting.

What are Cultural Benefits?

Nature gives us fun stuff like fishing and hiking.

What are Provisioning Benefits?

We get useful things like wool, milk, meat, fruits, and water.

What are Regulating Benefits?

Nature keeps pests under control and helps farmers grow food without too many chemicals.

What are Supporting Benefits?

Makes new soil and keeps it healthy, and helps crops grow without extra fertilizers.

What's an “Island” in Science?

Any special place where animals live, surrounded by places they can’t live.

What Affects Life on Islands?

How far the island is from other land, how big the island is, broken-up homes, climate, what’s already there, humans, and ocean currents.

What are Important Island Rules?

Bigger islands = more life, fewer extinctions; closer islands = easier for animals to find; small or far islands = fewer species, more danger of extinction.

What is Ecological Tolerance?

Every animal and plant has a “just right” zone; if it’s too hot, cold, wet, or dry—they can’t live there.

What does every animal and plant need to survive, related to ecological tolerance?

A minimum, a maximum, and an optimum.

What Changes Where They Live?

Weather, land shape, and other creatures.

What are examples of Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems?

Floods, fires, and volcanoes.

How have Volcanoes helped create Earth?

Helped create Earth’s water and air.

What are the Kinds of Natural Changes?

Episodic, Periodic, and Random.

Why do animals migrate?

Animals move to escape bad weather or disasters, find more food, or find a better place to have babies.

What is Adaptation?

A Way to Survive Changes

What are the 3 Types of Adaptations?

Behavioral, Physiological, and Structural.

What are Short-Term Adaptations?

Happen quickly, don’t last forever, and are not passed down to babies.

What are Long-Term Adaptations?

Happen slowly, over generations, and are passed down through DNA.

What is Ecological Succession?

Nature Changes Over Time

What is Primary Succession?

Starts with nothing (no soil, no plants, just bare rock!) and takes thousands of years.

What is Secondary Succession?

Happens after something like a fire or storm, where soil is still there, so life grows back faster.

Who are Pioneer Species?

The first living things to move in, typically small, fast-growing plants and bugs.

What are Other Succession Ideas?

Facilitation, Inhibition, and Tolerance.

What is Facilitation?

One species makes it easier for others to live there.

What is Inhibition?

One species makes it harder for others to live there.

What is Tolerance?

Species just ignore each other.

What is a Keystone Species?

A keystone species is like the glue that holds everything together. If it’s gone, lots of other animals and plants could be in trouble!

What is an Indicator Species?

Like nature’s warning lights. If they disappear, something’s probably wrong in the environment.