Biogeography and Species Diversity

Flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary related to biogeography and species diversity.

Biogeography

The study of patterns of species composition and diversity across geographic locations.

Species Diversity

The variety of different kinds of organisms that make up a community.

Deforestation

The process of clearing forests or converting forested areas to non-forest land uses.

Edge Effects

Changes in population or community structures that occur at the boundary of two habitats.

Alpha Diversity

The measure of species diversity within a community.

Beta Diversity

The measure of change in species composition from one community type to another.

Gamma Diversity

The total diversity within a region, encompassing both local and regional species.

Vicariance

The evolutionary separation of species by barriers such as geographical features.

Species-Area Relationship

The principle that species richness increases with area sampled.

Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography

A theory that explains the number of species on an island as a balance between immigration and extinction rates.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to a specific area and are not found elsewhere.

Regional Species Pool

The collection of species present in a given region that can potentially inhabit local habitats.

Tropics

The region of Earth surrounding the equator, characterized by high biodiversity.