Flashcards in Biodiversity: Patterns & Threats Deck (14)
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1
biodiversity
life diversity
- levels: genetic diversity, species diversity & ecosystem diversity
2
genetic diversity
genes or alleles diversity in a population, species, or group of species
3
species diversity
variety & relative abundance of the species present in a given ecological community
4
ecosystem diversity
variety of biotic components in a region along w/ abiotic components
(ie) soil, water & nutrients
5
ecosystem function
sum of biological & chemical processes that are characteristic of a given ecosystem
(ie) primary production, nitrogen cycling & carbon storage
6
endemic species
species that lives in one geographic area & nowhere else
7
biodiversity hot spot
region rich in species
8
endangered species
species whose #s have decreased so much that it is in danger of extinction throughout all or part of its range
9
habitat destruction
human-caused destruction of a natural habitat
- replaced by an urban, suburban, or agricultural landscape
10
habitat degradation
reduction of habitat quality
11
habitat fragmentation
breakup of a large region of a habitat into smaller regions, separated from others by a different habitat
12
biomass
total mass of all orgs in a given population or geographical area
- usually expressed as total dry weight
13
overexploitation
unsustainable removal of wildlife from natural environment for human use
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