Current Issue: A2_Forest Health in a Changing Climate Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is globalization?
The increasing interconnectedness of the world through trade, communication, and cultural exchange, which facilitates the movement of species across geographical boundaries.
What are invasive species?
Non-native species that are introduced into a new region and cause significant ecological or economic harm.
What is a pathogen?
A microorganism, such as a bacterium or fungus, that causes disease.
What are phenological mismatches?
A situation where the timing of biological events (e.g., insect emergence and host plant availability) becomes misaligned due to environmental changes like climate change.
What are ecosystem services?
The benefits that humans receive from natural ecosystems, such as clean air and water, carbon sequestration, and timber.
What is defoliation?
The loss of leaves or needles from a plant, often caused by insects or diseases.
What is a hibernaculum?
A silken shelter constructed by some insect larvae to overwinter.
What is phloem?
The vascular tissue in plants that transports sugars produced during photosynthesis.
What is sapwood?
The younger, outer wood of a tree that is actively involved in water transport.
What is frass?
The excrement of insect larvae, often resembling sawdust.
What are mycelial cords?
Root-like structures formed by some fungi, such as Armillaria, that can spread through the soil and infect new trees.
What is an alternate host?
A secondary host plant required by some pathogens, like rust fungi, to complete their life cycle.
What is needle cast?
A fungal disease of conifers that causes needles to turn brown and fall off prematurely.
What is root rot?
A disease caused by fungi or other pathogens that attack and decay the roots of plants.
What is stem rust?
A fungal disease that causes cankers or galls on the stems or trunks of trees.
What are short interval reburns?
The occurrence of two wildfires in the same area within a relatively short period, impacting forest regeneration.
What is a savanna?
A grassland ecosystem characterized by scattered trees and shrubs.
What is a seed bank?
The dormant seeds that exist in the soil of an ecosystem, available for future regeneration.
What is the Climate Moisture Index (CMI)?
A measure of drought calculated as the difference between annual precipitation and expected evaporation.
What is windthrow?
The uprooting of a tree by wind.
What are endemic populations?
Low, stable population levels of a species within its native range.
What is an outbreak?
A sudden and significant increase in the population of a species, often leading to widespread damage.
