Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Resilience

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Biodiversity Noun

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[bai-oh-di-vur-si-tee]

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Biodiversity

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The total variety of life on Earth, encompassing genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity within the biosphere.

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Example: This image shows biodiversity by displaying a wide variety of living things, including different plants and animals, all living together in one ecosystem.

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Biosphere Noun

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[bai-oh-sfeer]

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Biosphere

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The regions of the Earth's surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere that are occupied by living organisms.

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Example: This diagram shows the biosphere is the zone of life on Earth, encompassing parts of the land (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), and air (atmosphere).

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Ecosystem Diversity Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm di-vur-si-tee]

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Ecosystem Diversity

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The variety of different habitats, communities, and ecological processes that exist within the biosphere.

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Example: This image shows many different types of environments, like forests, deserts, and tundra, side-by-side to illustrate the variety of ecosystems on Earth.

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Species Diversity Noun

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[spee-sheez di-vur-si-tee]

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Species Diversity

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The number of different species present in a specific area or in the entire biosphere.

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Example: This image shows many different types of beetles, illustrating that species diversity is the variety of different species within a group or area.

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Genetic Diversity Noun

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[juh-net-ik di-vur-si-tee]

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Genetic Diversity

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The total sum of all the different forms of genes that are present within a particular species.

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Example: This image shows many different breeds of dogs, which are all the same species, to illustrate the wide variety of traits caused by genetic diversity.

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Resilience Noun

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[ri-zil-yuhns]

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Resilience

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The ability of a natural or human system to recover after a disturbance and adapt to change.

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Example: An ecosystem (the ball) is in a stable state (a valley). Resilience is the amount of disturbance needed to push it into a new state (another valley).

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Keystone Species Noun

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[kee-stohn spee-sheez]

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Keystone Species

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A species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

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Example: Removing a keystone species (a critical block) from an ecosystem (the tower) can cause the entire structure to collapse, affecting all other species.

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Ecosystem Services Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm sur-vis-iz]

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Ecosystem Services

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The many varied benefits that human populations derive, directly or indirectly, from ecosystem functions.

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Example: This diagram shows the four types of benefits humans get from ecosystems: provisioning (food), regulating (climate), cultural (recreation), and supporting (nutrient cycles).

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Microbiome Noun

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[mai-kroh-bai-ohm]

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Microbiome

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The community of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that inhabit a particular environment or organism.

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Example: The human microbiome is the community of all the tiny living organisms, like bacteria, that live on and inside the human body.

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Detritivore Noun

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[di-trahy-tuh-vawr]

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Detritivore

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An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead organic matter, recycling essential nutrients into the ecosystem.

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Example: This image shows examples of detritivores, like snails, millipedes, and crabs, which are animals that eat dead organic matter, helping to recycle nutrients in an ecosystem.