Biodiversity & conservation Flashcards
(13 cards)
biological diversity
variety of species in a habitat
what is a species
a group of organisms capable of interbreeding naturally to produce fertile offspring
what is genetic diversity
diversity in genetic resources of organisms
-> populations, different genes, combinations of genes
what is species diversity
variety and abundance of different species in a community
-> different kinds of organisms, relationships among species
what is ecological diversity
variety of ecosystems, richness of life forms due to variations in ecosystems
what are the 4 types of species interactions
mutualism (+/+)
commensalism (+/0)
predation & parasitism (-/+)
competition (-/-)
what are some benefits of biodiversity
- provisioning services - production of natural resources
- regulating services - e.g. pest control
- supporting services - crop pollination
- cultural services - recreational and aesthetic
what are some threats to biodiversity
- habitat loss
- introduced species
- population growth
- pollution
- climate change
- overexploitation
(HIPPCO)
what is extinction
occurs when the last individual of a species dies
what is mass extinction
the extinction of many species
what is conservation
protection and management of biodiversity in obtaining sustainable development of natural resources and ecosystems
what are the objectives of conservation
- protect and preserve species diversity
- ensure sustainable management of the species and ecosystems
- prevention and restoration of ecological processes and life support systems
give an example of an archive of biodiversity
natural history museum
