AP ENV - Chapter 2

biodiversity

the variety of life among species and ecosystems

genetic diversity

the range of genetic traits that make up the gene pool

species diversity

the number of different species that inhabit a specific area

ecosystem diversity

the range of habitats that can be found in a specific area

population bottleneck

a big decrease in population size caused by a catastrophic event

species richness

the number of different species in an ecological community

island biogeography

the study of species distribution on islands, influenced by island size and distance from the mainland

degree of isolation

distance to the nearest island or mainland

habitat fragmentation

when a habitat is broken into pieces by development, industry, etc.

episodic process

a process that occurs at irregular intervals (ex. hurricanes)

periodic process

occurs at repeated intervals (ex. seasons)

behavioral adaptation

such as instincts, mating behavior or vocalizations

physiological adaptation

such as temperature regulation or digestion

structural adaptation

such as body shape, coloration or coverings

ecological succession

the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time, typically following a disturbance

facilitation

when one species modifies an environment to meet another species needs

inhibition

when one species modifies an environment that is not suitable for another species

tolerance

when species are not affected by the presence of other species

pioneer species

species that colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, initiating ecological succession

ecological succession

the change in species structure of an ecological community over time

primary succession

the evolution in which plants and animals first colonize a barren, lifeless habitat

secondary succession

a type of ecological succession in which plants and animals recolonize a habitat after a major disturbance

succession

a directional, non seasonal, change in species composition over time

how much of sea level change is due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets on land?

30%

how much of sea level change is due to coastal land subsidence (sinking)?

40%

short term adaptations

• develops in response to temporary changes in the environment

• involves temporary changes

  • not inherited, DNA doesn’t change

cultural services

a non material benefit that contributes to the development and cultural advancement of people

• ex. recreational fishing is linked to healthy aquatic ecosystems

regulating services

a benefit that moderates natural phenomena and helps make ecosystems clean, resilient to change and functional

provisioning services

any type of benefit to people that can be extracted from nature

• livestock provide different types of raw materials like wool, meat and milk

supporting services

supports the other three services and benefits habitats for species