All Flashcards
What are the effects of low species evenness?
Ecosystems are less resilient and more vulnerable to disturbances because a few dominant species control resources.
What are the effects of low genetic diversity?
Populations are more susceptible to diseases and environmental changes, increasing the risk of extinction.
What are the consequences of losing ecosystem services?
Loss of clean water, decreased pollination, increased climate instability, reduced food production, and overall decline in human well-being.
How do natural disruptions affect ecosystems?
They can change ecosystems, sometimes drastically, by destroying habitats, altering nutrient cycles, and causing shifts in species composition.
Define biodiversity.
The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
What is species diversity?
The total number of different species in an ecosystem.
Define species richness.
The number of different species present in an ecosystem.
What is species evenness?
How evenly distributed the species are in an ecosystem.
Define genetic diversity.
The variety of genes within a species.
What are alleles?
Different versions of a gene.
Define phenotypes.
The physical traits that result from genes.
What are ecosystem services?
The benefits humans get from the natural world.
Define ecological tolerance.
The range of conditions that a species can survive in.
What is ecological succession?
The process of ecosystem recovery after a disturbance.
Define pioneer species.
The first species to colonize a disturbed area.
What is primary succession?
Succession that starts with no soil.
Define secondary succession.
Succession that starts with soil already present.
Why is biodiversity ecologically relevant?
It helps measure the importance of an area for conservation and development decisions.
How does high species diversity impact an ecosystem?
It usually means a healthier, more resilient ecosystem.
Why is genetic diversity important for a species?
More genetic diversity means a population is more resilient to changes.
What are provisioning services?
Direct products we get from nature, such as wood, food, and water.
What are regulating services?
Natural processes that keep our environment stable, like climate regulation and water purification.
What are cultural services?
Non-material benefits we get from nature, such as recreation and aesthetic beauty.
What are supporting services?
Basic processes that allow all other ecosystem services to exist, like nutrient cycling and soil formation.
What is resistance in ecological tolerance?
The ability to withstand a disturbance.
What is resilience in ecological tolerance?
The ability to recover from a disturbance.
Why are natural disruptions important?
They are part of Earth's natural cycles and can have big impacts on ecosystems.