Conservation Ecology

Question 1

human-driven process in which a natural habitat is altered in a way that prevents it from supporting the species that were originally present

Answer 1

Habitat destruction

Question 2

the conversion of forested areas to nonforested land, is a prime cause of the extinction of species

Answer 2

Deforestation

Question 3

the practice in which humans harvest a particular species at a rate that is unsustainable, based on the species’ natural rate of mortality and capacity for reproduction

Answer 3

Overexploitation

Question 4

species moved by humans from their native habitat to another location

Answer 4

Introduced species

Question 5

species that spread naturally and impact native species; can reproduce rapidly, may not have natural enemies in their new habitat, may compete aggressively for resources

Answer 5

Invasive species

Question 6

an agent that causes disease symptoms in its host. Some pathogens become invasive species when moved to a new geographical location

Answer 6

Pathogen

Question 7

the genetic diversity of species, the variety of species, and the different ecosystems they form

Answer 7

Biodiversity

Question 8

the amount of genetic variation occurring within and between populations

Answer 8

Genetic diversity

Question 9

the number and relative abundance of species in a community

Answer 9

Species diversity

Question 10

species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range

Answer 10

Endangered species

Question 11

species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future

Answer 11

Threatened species

Question 12

the diversity of structure and function within an ecosystem

Answer 12

Ecosystem diversity

Question 13

suggests that species-rich communities are more stable than those with fewer species

Answer 13

Diversity-Stability Hypothesis

Question 14

ecosystem function increases rapidly at fairly low levels of species richness, but then levels off because most additional species are functionally redundant

Answer 14

Redundancy Hypothesis

Question 15

proposes that ecosystem function rises dramatically as species richness approaches its natural level

Answer 15

Keystone Hypothesis

Question 16

suggests that although ecosystem function can change as the number of species increases or decreases, the amount and direction of change are unpredictable

Answer 16

Idiosyncratic Hypothesis

Question 17

the full or partial repair or replacement of biological habitats and/or their populations that have been degraded or destroyed

Answer 17

Habitat Restoration

Question 18

countries with at least 5,000 endemic plant species

Answer 18

Megadiversity countries

Question 19

species that are found only in a particular region

Answer 19

Endemic

Question 20

regions that are biologically diverse and under threat of destruction

Answer 20

Biodiversity hot spots

Question 21

thin strips of habitat that permit the movement of species between preserved patches

Answer 21

Movement corridors

Question 22

the special physical conditions that exist at the boundaries, or edges, of ecosystems

Answer 22

Edge effects

Question 23

species whose status provides information on the overall health of an ecosystem

Answer 23

Indicator species

Question 24

species whose habitat requirements are so large that protecting them would protect many other species existing in the same habitat

Answer 24

Umbrella species

Question 25

a single large or instantly recognizable species

Answer 25

Flagship species

Question 26

species within a community that have a role out of proportion to their abundance or biomass

Answer 26

Keystone species