Biodiversity Unit Vocabulary

population

A group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time (e.g. deer population)--must be able to breed and produce offspring that can reproduce

Humpback chub (Gila cypha)

an endangered, native fish of the Colorado River that evolved around 3-5 million years ago. The pronounced hump behind its head gives this fish a striking, unusual appearance. It has an olive-colored back, silver sides, a white belly, small eyes and a long snout that overhangs its jaw. Like the Colorado pikeminnow and bonytail, the humpback chub is a member of the minnow family The humpback chub's population in the Colorado has been reduced dramatically, primarily due to habitat loss and its fixed migratory patterns.

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Created in 1973, it provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. The lead federal agencies for implementing ESA are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service. The FWS maintains a worldwide list of endangered species. Species include birds, insects, fish, reptiles, mammals, crustaceans, flowers, grasses, and trees. It creates a listing of endangered species and critical habitats, and then creates recovery plans designed to allow species to survive and thrive.

HIPPO (What is stands for and some examples)

Habitat Destruction- conversion of natural areas to housing, fragmentation of habitat patches, removal of natural debris like dead trees, and birds flying into cell phone towers Invasive Species- accidental introduction of brown tree snake to Guam, deliberate introduction of salt cedar to the Southwest for erosion control Pollution- nutrients that travel down the Mississippi River have created a dead zone where oxygen completely disappears Population- overconsumption of natural resources by humans Overexploitation- forests are overcut for firewood, grasslands are overgrazed, and game is overhunted

conversion

something that is changed from one use, function, or purpose to another

inbreeding depression

the reduction of biological fitness in a given population as a result of inbreeding, or breeding of related individuals--common in areas with low genetic diversity

genetic diversity

the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary.

instrumental value

the value of objects, both physical objects and abstract objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else--Things that are intrinsically valuable seem to be of virtually infinite value, so it is worth almost any price to save them. A species has instrumental value if its existence or use benefits some other entity.

biodiversity

the variety of all life forms on earth - the different plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems of which they are a part The concept usually refers to the different species but also includes ecosystems and the genetic diversity within a given species. To estimate the number of individuals belonging to one species in a habitat, the mark, release and recapture technique may be used: an initial sample of animals is taken; a record how many individuals were captured in this first sample, and mark them all in some way; the batch of animals are then released back into the natural habitat; a second sample is taken, usually the following day; and record how many individuals have been captured in the second sample, and how many of those were already marked from the previous capture, and then release the sample of animals back into the wild.

fragmentation

(1) A form of asexual reproduction wherein a parent organism breaks into fragments, each capable of growing independently into a new organism. (2) The breaking into smaller parts. **generally leads to a reduction in species diversity**

speciation

1: the formation of new species; 2: the splitting of a phylogenetic lineage; 3: acquistion of reproductive isolating mechanisms producting discontinuities between populations; 4: process by which a species splits into 2 or more species Common Process: geographical isolation temporal isolation (breeding in different seasons) behavioral isolation mechanical isolation (unable to breed due to structural issues)

exotic species (alien species)

Species that have been introduced, or moved, by human activities to a location where they do not naturally occur are termed exotic, nonnative, alien, or non-indigenous. Exotic species are not necessarily harmful. In fact, the majority have beneficial purposes. When non-native species cause ecological or economic problems, they are termed invasive or harmful exotic species and is generally due to the fact they have no natural enemies in their new location

northern spotted owl

a "keystone" species, and an indicator of old growth for many other forest dependent species. It is currently on the endangered species list due to continued logging of old growth forests in the pacific northwest.

hot spot

a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans--generally found in developing regions or in countries with the highest densities and growth rates

Lacey Act

a conservation law in the United States that prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold--created in 1900 The first national act that gave protection to wildlife by forbidding interstate commerce in illegally killed animals. It was needed because many species were near extinction.

artificial ecosystem

a human modified ecosystem for human benefit. They can be terrestrial (crop fields parks, and gardens) or aquatic (aquariums, dams, and manmade ponds).

intrusion

a noun that means entry to another's property without right or permission

specialist

a species that can only thrive in a narrow range of environmental conditions or has a limited diet

generalist

a species which can survive in multiple habitats or eats food from multiple sources.

endangered

a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as likely to become extinct.

preservation

an area maintained for the protection of wildlife or natural resources

passenger pigeon

an extinct North American bird, named after the French word passager for "passing by", it was once the most abundant bird in North America, and possibly the world Many account its extinction to over harvesting a species

biological community

an interacting group of various species in a common location Example, a forest of trees and undergrowth plants, inhabited by animals and rooted in soil containing bacteria and fungi, constitutes a biological community

threatened/vulnerable

any species (including animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.

island biogeography

concept created by Robert MacArthur of Princeton University and E. 0. Wilson of Harvard explains the uneven distribution of species between an island and the mainland--they proposed that the number of species on any island reflects a balance between the rate at which new species colonize it and the rate at which populations of established species become extinct. Example: If a new volcanic island were to rise out of the ocean off the coast of a mainland inhabited by 100 species of birds, some birds would begin to immigrate across the gap and establish populations on the empty, but habitable, island. The rate at which these immigrant species could become established, however, would inevitably decline, for each species that successfully invaded the island would diminish by one the pool of possible future invaders (the same 100 species continue to live on the mainland, but those which have already become residents of the island can no longer be classed as potential invaders). the importance of island biogeography may be used in revealing evolutionary processes

characteristics of endangered species

extreme habitat food specialization large size slow reproductive rates

pandemic

general; universal (of a disease) prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area

stewardship

is an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources--may be applied to the environment and nature, economics, health, property, information, theology, etc.

Ex situ

literally, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal outside its natural habitat; for example, by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild area or within the care of humans--used with species with low genetic diversity in order to increase the allele frequencies in the population

Causes of Endangerment (HIPPO-C)

loss of habitat, overexploitation, habitat fragmentation, pollution and introduction of alien species--chief among reasons of habitat loss and fragmentation are conversion of natural habitats to agriculture, with ancillary drivers being deforestation and urbanization

invasive species

plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm.

Convention on Biological Diversity

signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, it is dedicated to promoting sustainable development--the Convention recognizes that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro organisms and their ecosystems - it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy environment in which to live.

In situ

situated in the original, natural, or existing place or position (a species is in its natural environment or where it originated) Example: Fishing regulations on the size and type of nets used when fishing for tuna help protect endangered turtle species in the open ocean

K-strategist

species that produce few "expensive" offspring and live in stable environments

r-strategist

species that produce many "cheap" offspring and live in unstable environments

restoration

the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc.

remediation

the action of remedying something, in particular of reversing or stopping environmental damage

endemic species

the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere species are limited to one location such as an island or valley the characteristics of a particular population, environment, or region Examples of endemic diseases include chicken pox that occurs at a predictable rate among young school children in the United States and malaria in some areas of Africa. The disease is present in a community at all times but in relatively low frequency.

biological wealth

the life-sustaining combination of commercial, scientific, and aesthetic values imparted to a region by its biota

species diversity

the measure of the diversity within an ecological community that incorporates both species richness (the number of species in a community) and the evenness of species' abundances. Species diversity is one component of the concept of biodiversity.

species richness

the number of different species represented in an ecological community, landscape or region--simply a count of species, and it does not take into account the abundances of the species or their relative abundance distributions.

frequency

the number of members of a population or statistical sample falling in a particular class

captive breeding

the process of breeding animals outside of their natural environment in restricted conditions in farms, zoos or other closed facilities. The choice of individual animals that are to be part of a captive breeding population, and the mating partners within that population, are controlled by humans

ecosystem diversity

the variety of ecosystems in a given place. Within any broader landscape there is a mosaic of interconnected ecosystems. To conserve biodiversity, conservation at the landscape level is critical.

simplification

to make simpler, less complex, etc

ecotourism

tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife

intrinsic value

value for its own sake and doesn't have to be useful to us to possess value

over harvesting a species

when a species is harvested, or taken at a rate faster than the population can compensate for, the population -- may lead to extinction