glossary terms

• the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region
• ex. almost 5000 species of plants heve been identified in canada

to legally guard from harm a species that is listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern

a place where there is an exceptionally large number of  species in a relitively small area

all the populations of the different species that interactin a specific area or ecosystem

a species that is so abundant that it has the biggest biomass of any community member

a species that can greatly affect population numbers abd the health of an ecosystem

the breeding of rare or endangered wildlife in controlled settings to increase the population size

a species that causes such dramatic changes to landscapes that it creates a new ecosystem

the series of changes in ecosystems that occurs over time following a disturbance

occurs when events, due to natural disasters or human activities alter a terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem so much that many species can no longer survive there

occurs when forests are logged or cleared for human use, or for mosquito control

• a species that is accidentally or deliberately introduced to a new location, usually as a result of human activity
• ex. zebra mussels

• a species that can take over the habitat of native species or invade their bodies
• ex. zebra mussels

• use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted.
• ex. overfishing of atlantic cod, overhunting of passenger pigeons

• the death of all the individuals of a species
• may happen naturally through background extinction, caused by slow changes in ecosystems that affect species, or through mass extinction, which occurs more quickly

the current accelerated rate of extinctions on earth

• the renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention
• restoration methods:
• 1. reforestation
• 2.wetlands restoration
• 3. controlling alien species
• 4.bioremediation
• 5. bioaugmentation

re-growth of a forest either through natural processes or through the planting of seeds or trees in an area where a forest was cut down

the use of a species to control the populationor spread of an undesirable species

• the use of living organisms to clean up contaminated areas naturally
• ex. use of plants to absorb heavy metals from toxic soil
• ex. use of bacteria to clean up oil spills on the coast

• the use of living organisms to add essential nutrients to depleted soils
• ex. use of clover to add nitrogen to depleted soils