Ch. 4 Env Flashcard (Biodiversity)

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What is the 6th mass extinction?

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The 6th mass extinction is a current event believed by scientists to be driven by human activities, leading to a significant loss of biodiversity.

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What is artificial selection?

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Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed plants and animals for specific traits, such as flower color in lilies.

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What is a keystone species?

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A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, such as wolves affecting prey populations.

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What are indicator species?

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Indicator species are organisms that provide information about the health of an ecosystem, often sensitive to environmental changes.

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What is a generalist species?

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A generalist species is one that can thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can utilize a variety of resources, like opossums.

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What is a specialist species?

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A specialist species is one that has a narrow ecological niche and specific habitat requirements, often relying on a limited food source.

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What does it mean for a species to be endemic?

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An endemic species is one that is native to a specific geographic area and is not found naturally anywhere else.

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What role do wolves play in their ecosystem?

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Wolves are considered a keystone species because they help regulate prey populations, which in turn affects the entire food web.

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What is biodiversity?

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Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of species, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

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What is the significance of mass extinctions?

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Mass extinctions significantly reduce biodiversity and can lead to the loss of entire ecosystems, affecting all life forms.