All Flashcards
Cause: Population bottleneck. Effect?
Reduced genetic diversity, increased vulnerability to disease and environmental changes, and higher risk of extinction.
Cause: Loss of habitat diversity. Effect?
Loss of species that depend on those habitats, leading to a decrease in overall biodiversity.
Cause: Low species evenness. Effect?
One or a few species dominate the ecosystem, making it less stable and more vulnerable to disturbances.
Cause: High biodiversity. Effect?
Increased ecosystem stability, greater resilience to disturbances, and enhanced ecosystem services.
Cause: Forest clearing for agriculture. Effect?
Reduces genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity, decreasing ecosystem resistance and resilience.
Cause: Climate change. Effect?
Can alter habitats, leading to shifts in species distribution and potential loss of species that cannot adapt or migrate.
Cause: Introduction of invasive species. Effect?
Can outcompete native species, reduce species diversity, and alter ecosystem structure and function.
Cause: Pollution. Effect?
Can harm or kill sensitive species, reduce biodiversity, and disrupt ecosystem processes.
Cause: Overexploitation of resources. Effect?
Can lead to the decline or extinction of targeted species, disrupting food webs and ecosystem stability.
Cause: Habitat fragmentation. Effect?
Reduces habitat size, isolates populations, and decreases genetic diversity, making species more vulnerable to extinction.
Define biodiversity.
The variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it.
What is genetic diversity?
The variety of genes within a single species.
Define species diversity.
The variety of different species within an ecosystem.
What is habitat diversity?
The variety of different habitats in a given area.
Define population bottleneck.
A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities, which reduces genetic diversity.
What is species richness?
The number of different species present in an ecosystem.
What is species evenness?
How evenly distributed the populations of each species are in an ecosystem.
Define ecosystem resistance.
The ability of an ecosystem to withstand or resist changes caused by disturbances.
What is ecosystem resilience?
The ability of an ecosystem to recover quickly after a disturbance.
Define Simpson's Diversity Index.
A quantitative measure that estimates the species diversity of a community. A higher value indicates greater diversity.
Why is genetic diversity important?
Allows species to adapt to changes like diseases or climate shifts.
Why is species diversity important?
Different species have different roles; more species = more stable ecosystem.
Why is habitat diversity important?
Different habitats support different species; more habitat diversity = more biodiversity.
What is the impact of low species diversity?
Ecosystems are less stable and more vulnerable to collapse if a species is lost.
What characterizes an ideal ecosystem in terms of richness and evenness?
High richness (many species) and high evenness (balanced populations).
How does biodiversity affect ecosystem stability?
Higher biodiversity generally leads to greater ecosystem stability and adaptability.
What is the impact of habitat loss?
Leads to loss of specialist species and reduced numbers of species with large territorial needs.
How does biodiversity relate to ecosystem resistance and resilience?
Biodiversity increases both ecosystem resistance (ability to withstand disturbance) and resilience (ability to recover).