APES Unit 2: The Living World – Biodiversity & Services

Biodiversity

The variety of life across all levels of biological organization.

Ecosystem Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to recover after a disturbance.

Genetic Diversity

The measure of genetic variation among individuals in a population.

Importance of Genetic Diversity

High genetic diversity ensures that a population can respond to environmental stressors.

Bottleneck Effect

A drastic reduction in population size leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

Species Diversity

The number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat.

Species Richness

The total number of different species in an area.

Species Evenness

The relative abundance of each species in an ecosystem.

Ecosystem (Habitat) Diversity

The variety of habitats that exist within a given region.

Generalist Species

Species with broad niches and high adaptability.

Specialist Species

Species with narrow niches requiring specific habitats.

Provisioning Services

Products obtained from ecosystems that humans can harvest or use directly.

Examples of Provisioning Services

Lumber, wild-caught fish, medicinal plants.

Regulating Services

Benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes.

Examples of Regulating Services

Carbon sequestration, pollination, flood control.

Cultural Services

Non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems such as recreation and aesthetic experiences.

Examples of Cultural Services

Tourism, hiking, spiritual significance.

Supporting Services

Services that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services.

Examples of Supporting Services

Soil formation, nutrient cycling, habitat provision.

Theory of Island Biogeography

Proposes different rates of colonization and extinction on islands based on size and distance.

Distance from Mainland

Islands closer to the mainland have higher immigration rates.

Size of the Island

Larger islands have lower extinction rates and support more species.

Adaptive Radiation

A process where a single species evolves into many new species to fill available niches.

SLOSS Debate

Single Large or Several Small—discusses conservation strategies.

Confusion between Richness and Evenness

Richness is the count of types of species; Evenness is the balance of those species.

Regulating vs. Supporting Services Mistake

Regulating services fix problems quickly; supporting services are slow processes essential for life.

Island Biogeography Misconception

Applies to land where patches of habitat are surrounded by urban or agricultural areas.

High Biodiversity vs. High Population Numbers

High biodiversity does not always mean high population numbers; healthy ecosystems balance populations across many species.