3.2 Human Impact on Biodiversity Flashcards
(25 cards)
Overharvesting
harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns
Poaching
the illegal hunting or capture of animals
Illegal pet trade
Trafficking of live animals for the exotic pet market
Habitat loss
Destruction or fragmentation of natural habitats due to human activities such as deforestation, urbanisation, or agricultural expansion
Invasive alien species
Non-native species introduced into an ecosystem that disrupt native species and ecosystems
Cumulative impacts
when negative effects are amplified when different threats act together, reducing ecosystem resilience
Invasive species
species introduced into an ecosystem that disrupt/outcompete native species and ecosystems
Climate change
The change in global climate patterns due to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to habitat disruption, shifts in species distributions and increased frequency of extreme weather events
Human interference
the ways in which human activities alter or disrupt natural systems, leading to negative impacts on the environment and ecosystems
Habitat fragmentation
division of continuous habitats into a greater number of smaller patches of lesser total and isolated from each other by a matrix of dissimilar habitats
Keystone species
a species that plays an essential role in the structure, functioning or productivity of a habitat or ecosystem at a defined level
IUCN Redlist
International Union for Conservation of Nature - the world’s most comprehensive information source on the extinction risk of animals, fungi and plants
Endangered species
a plant or animal species whose numbers have become so small that it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range
Vulnerable species
species that are rare or prone to extinction, including endemic, or otherwise range-restricted species, and more generally those in the highest threat categories of the IUCN red list
Conservation status
an indicator of how likely it is to remain alive at present or in the near future
Conservation priorities
identifying and focusing efforts on protecting ecosystems, species, and habitats that are most vulnerable or offer significant biodiversity benefits to enhance the effectiveness of conservation actions
Biodiversity hotspots
area with least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics (which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet) (irreplaceable) and must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation (it must be threatened)
Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)
geographical regions that have been determined to be of international importance in terms of biodiversity conservation
Environmental justice
the idea that all people and communities have the right to live and thrive in safe, healthy environments
Indigenous land rights
the rights of Indigenous peoples to land and natural resources therein
Ethical dilemas
situations in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle
Planetary boundaries
the safe limits for human pressure on the nine critical processes which together maintain a stable and resilient Earth
Biosphere integrity
the functional integrity of ecosystems and the genetic diversity within and between the species living in them
Tipping point
the minimum amount of change within a system that will destabilize it, causing it to reach a new equilibrium or stable state
