ESS Biodiversity and conservation - key terms

species diversity

a product of two variables, the number of species (richness) and their relative proportions (evenness)

genetic diversity

the range of genetic material present in a gene pool or population of a species

habitat diversity

the range of different habitats per unit area in a particular ecosystem or biome.

Maximum sustainable yield

the maximum harvest we can sustainably take each year and still allow replacement by natural population growth

Conservation biology

the sustainable use and management of natural resources

Preservation biology

attempts to exclude human activity in areas where humans have not yet encroached