Sophomore Biology Chapter 5
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Created by:
MargaretAnnHenry on May 24, 2011
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20 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 extinction | a process in which entire species permanently disappear from the biosphere when the last member of the species dies |
| biodiversity | the variety of life in an area that is determined by the number of different species in that area |
| genetic diversity | the variety of genes of inheritable characteristics that are present in a population |
| species diversity | the number of different species and the relative abundance of each species in a biological community |
| ecosystem diversity | the variety of ecosystems that are present in a biosphere |
| background extinction | the gradual process of species becoming extinct |
| mass extinction | an event in which a large percentage of all living species become extinct in a relatively short period of time |
| natural resources | all materials and organisms found in the biosphere, including minerals, fossil fuels, nuclear fuels, plants, animals, soil, clean water, clean air, and solar energy |
| overexploitation | excessive use |
| habitat fragmentation | the seperation of an ecosystem into small pieces of land |
| Edge effects | different environmental conditions that occur along the boudaries of an ecosystem |
| Biological magnification | the increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms as trophic levels increase in a food chain or a food web |
| eutrophication | occurs when fertilizers, animal waste, sewage, or other substances rich in nitrogen and phosphorus flow into waterways, causing extensive algae growth |
| introduced species | nonnative species that are either intentionally or unintentionally transported to a new habitat |
| renewable resources | those resources that are replaced by natural processes faster than they are consumed |
| nonrenewable sources | those sources that are found on Earth in limited amounts or those that are replaced by natural processes over extremely long periods of time |
| sustainable use | means using resources at a rate in which they can be replaced or recycled while preserving the long-term environmental health of the biosphere |
| endemic species | species that are only found in that specific geographic area |
| bioremediation | the use of living organisms, such are prokaryotes, fungi, or plants, to detoxify a polluted area |
| biological augmentation | adding natural predators to a degraded ecosystem |
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