Biodiversity
The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region or ecosystem
Species Richness
The number of different species found in an ecosystem
Law of Tolerance
The degree to which living organisms are capable of tolerating changes in their environment
Law of the Minimum
Living organisms will continue to live, consuming available materials until the supply of these materials is exhausted
Theory of Island Biogeography
A field that studies species richness and diversification in isolated communities
Ecosystem Services
Benefits that humans receive from the ecosystems in nature when they are functioning properly
Provisioning Services
Water, food, medicinal resources, raw materials, energy, and ornaments
Regulating Services
Waste decomposition, detoxification, purification of water, pest / disease control, regulation of prey populations, carbon sequestration
Carbon Sequestration
Process of storing carbon in a carbon pool
Cultural Services
Scientific, educational, therapeutic, recreational, spiritual, and cultural use
Supporting Services
Primary production, nutrient recycling, soil formation, pollination
Keystone Species
A species that maintains the biotic balance in a community
Indicator Species
Species that are used as a standard to evaluate the health of an ecosystem; sensitive to biological changes within an ecosystem
Indigenous Species
Those that originate and live / occur naturally in an area or environment
Invasive Species
Introduced species that have a lack of natural predators, thus spreading rapidly
Ecological Succession
If changes that take place in a geographic area are predictable ones that can be described
Primary Succession
Ecological succession that begins in a virtually lifeless area
Secondary Succession
Ecological succession that takes place where an existing community has been cleared
Pioneer Species
Organisms in the first stages of either primary or secondary succession
Climax Community
Final stage of succession; balance between abiotic and biotic components of the community
Habitat Fragmentation
Size of an organismâs natural habitat is reduced or isolated
Edge Effect
Greater species diversity and biological density at ecotones than the interior of an ecosystem
Result of Changing a Boundary of a Habitat
A new edge is formed; pre-existing edge and interior habitats are damaged