Biodiversity Basics
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in an ecosystem.
What is ecosystem stability?
The ability of an ecosystem to recover from change and remain balanced.
What is habitat destruction?
The destruction of habitats through activities such as building roads, cities, or mining.
A tree losses its leaves in the fall. What type of change is this?
Seasonal Change
What is a population?
All individuals of the same species living in the same area.
What is species richness?
The number of different species in an ecosystem.
What is a disturbance?
An event that changes an ecosystem.
What is an introduced species?
A species that is not native to an area.
A pond slowly filling with sediment is an example of what type of change?
Gradual Change
What is a pollinator?
An organism that helps plants reproduce by transferring pollen.
What type of climate usually has the highest biodiversity?
Tropical climates.
Name one natural disturbance.
Flood, wildfire, tornado, volcanic eruption, tsunami, etc.
Name one invasive species in NYC.
Norwegian rat
A tornado destroying part of a forest is an example of what type of change?
A sudden change
A disease causes one bee species to disappear from an ecosystem. What could happen to flowering plants?
Fewer plants may be pollinated and reproduce.
What is a biodiversity hotspot?
A region with high biodiversity that is threatened by destruction.
Why do ecosystems with high biodiversity recover faster?
Different species can fill important roles if one species is lost.
What is overharvesting?
Removing organisms faster than they can reproduce.
What is succession?
The process of recovery and change after a disturbance.
A pond receives too many nutrients from fertilizer runoff. Algae grow rapidly and oxygen levels decrease. What is this process called?
Eutrophication.
An ecosystem contains 10 species of birds, 5 species of mammals, and 20 species of insects. What biodiversity measurement is being described?
Species richness
An ecosystem has five pollinator species. One species dies out. Why might the ecosystem remain stable?
The remaining pollinator species can continue pollinating plants.
A wildfire burns through a forest. Over the next several years, grasses, shrubs, insects, birds, and young trees begin returning. What process is occurring?
Sucession
What are pioneer species?
The first organisms to grow after a disturbance
Number of individuals within that species
species abundance