"What Roles do Species Play in Ecosystems?"

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What are indicator species?

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Species whose presence or absence indicates the quality or characteristics of certain environmental conditions.

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What is a niche?

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The role a species plays in its ecosystem, including its preferred climate and food source.

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What are keystone species?

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Species whose roles have a large effect on the types and abundance of other species in an ecosystem.

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What are specialist species?

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Species that occupy a narrow niche and may only live in one type of habitat or eat a few types of food.

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What are generalist species?

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Species that can thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can utilize a variety of resources.

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What are endemic species?

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Species that are native to a specific geographic area and are not found naturally anywhere else.

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What are invasive species?

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Non-native species that spread widely in a new habitat, often causing harm to native species and ecosystems.

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What are native species?

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Species that naturally occur in a specific region or ecosystem.

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What is biodiversity?

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The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

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What is a biome?

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A large geographical biotic unit, a major community of plants and animals with similar life forms and environmental conditions.