Science Unit 1- Chapter 3

Degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet.

To keep from being damaged, attacked, stolen, or injured.

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction  

A group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society

One of a small number of species which dominate in an ecological community

 A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass.

Captive breeding is the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities. 

An ecosystem engineer is any organism that creates or modifies habitats. 

Ecological succession is the phenomenon or process by which an ecological community undergoes more or less orderly and predictable changes following disturbance or initial colonization of new habitat 

Habitat loss is linked to the ever-increasing demands for land by the exploding human population and the commercial demands for natural resources.

Deforestation, clearance or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use 

 Invasive plant and animal species

An invasive species is defined as an organism that is not native and has negative effects on our economy, our environment, or our health.

Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns

Extinction is the conditioning phenomenon in which a behavior that has been previously reinforced no longer results in the reinforcing consequences and, therefore, the behavior stops occurring in the future

Biodiversity Crisis is the number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.The variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems

Restoration ecology is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame.

Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation.[

Biological control is a method of controlling pests using other living organisms

 Bioremediation is the use of micro-organism metabolism to remove pollutants.

Bioaugmentation is the introduction of a group of natural microbial strains or a genetically engineered variant to treat contaminated soil or water.