Unit 2: Biodiversity

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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 diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecosystem diversity.

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What is primary succession?

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Primary succession is the process of ecological change that occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption, leading to the establishment of a biological community.

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What is secondary succession?

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Secondary succession is the process of ecological change that occurs in an area where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact, such as after a forest fire.

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What are ecosystem services?

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Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

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What is genetic biodiversity?

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Genetic biodiversity refers to the variety of genes within a species, which contributes to the adaptability and resilience of populations.

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What is habitat diversity?

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Habitat diversity is the range of different habitats in a particular area, which supports a variety of species.

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What is the bottleneck effect?

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The bottleneck effect occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced for at least one generation, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

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What are provisioning services?

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Provisioning services are the products obtained from ecosystems, such as food, fresh water, and raw materials.

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What are regulating services?

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Regulating services are the benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes, such as climate regulation, flood control, and disease regulation.

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What are cultural services?

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Cultural services are the non-material benefits people obtain from ecosystems, including recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits.