Chapter 7 - Biodiversity Vocab

Bio prospectors

• Individuals who study the behavior of animals in their natural habitats

• Scientists who focus on climate change and its effects on ecosystems

• Persons trained to search tropical forests and other ecosystems to find plants and animals that can be used to make medicinal drugs

• Researchers who develop new agricultural techniques for crop improvement

Seed Banks   

• A facility that stores food for animals.

• A place where seeds are preserved in a refrigerated, low-humidity environment to protect genetic information and endangered plant species.

• A garden where various plants are cultivated.

• A research center for developing new plant species.

Endangered Species Act   

• A U.S. law that identifies and protects endangered and threatened species and calls for recovery programs to help species recover to levels where legal protection is no longer needed.

• A U.S. law that promotes hunting and fishing in national parks.

• A U.S. law that regulates the use of pesticides in agriculture.

• A U.S. law that focuses on urban development and land use planning.

Biomagnification

• Process in which a chemical becomes more concentrated as it moves up the food chain

• Process of chemical dilution in aquatic environments

• Process of energy transfer between trophic levels

• Process of nutrient recycling in ecosystems

Bioaccumulation

What does bioaccumulation refer to?

• Accumulation of a chemical in an organism’s fatty tissues.

• The process of breaking down chemicals in the environment.

• The transfer of chemicals from one organism to another.

• The elimination of toxins from an organism's body.

Habitat Fragmentation

• Breakup of a larger habitat area into smaller areas, usually as a result of human activities.

• A process where species evolve to adapt to their environment.

• The introduction of non-native species into an ecosystem.

• The natural expansion of a habitat over time.

Invasive Species

• An organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native

• A native species that thrives in its natural habitat

• A species that is endangered and protected by law

• An organism that benefits the ecosystem in which it is found

Captive Breeding

• A process of breeding animals in their natural habitat.

• A method of training animals for entertainment purposes.

• Process by which wild individuals of a critically endangered species are collected for breeding in captivity, with the aim of reintroducing the offspring into the wild.

• A technique used to enhance the genetic diversity of domesticated species.

Threatened Species

• Species that is extinct in the wild.

• Species that has enough remaining individuals to survive in the short term, but because of declining numbers, is likely to become endangered in the near future.

• Species that is abundant and widespread across its habitat.

• Species that is protected by law and has a stable population.

Botanical Gardens 

• A place that contains living plants on display.

• A museum for botanical art.

• A library of plant species.

• A research facility for plant genetics.